Fire Emblem: The Sacred Flames
by Korean Boron-Paper Stars
Summary: Lyn chose to remain in Caelin as its marquess after her grandfather's death instead of returning to Sacae. How would the future of Elibe change if Caelin was never absorbed into Ostia and Lyn was a ruling voice in the Lycian League?
1. Chapter 1

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Flames

A/N: I have way too many stories I have yet to finish. But my inspiration is currently on FE7, and so I have to work on what my inspiration is focused on if I want to get anything done.

This story is a "what if" scenario in which Lyn did not return to Sacae after the death of her grandfather, but remained in Caelin as its marquess. I'm also assuming a Lyn-Rath A-support so that Lyn can become Sue's mother. The second half of this story will go into FE6, which I have not played. If I get anything wrong from that game, please let me know!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Fire Emblem series or anything familiar you may see in this story.

~FE7~

Prologue

_One year after the defeat of Nergal …_

Mark wandered the grandiose halls of Castle Caelin. Its gray walls were decorated with tapestries and portraits; banners and flags hung from the pillars that were scattered throughout the corridor – just as he remembered. Servants and knights hurried past him as they rushed from place to place, busy with preparations for the event that had brought Mark to Caelin in the first place.

Lord Hausen, the longtime marquess of Caelin, had passed away earlier that year. Mark had been in Kathelet when the news had reached him. He had met with Lord Hausen only once, but Mark remembered the late marquess to be a kind and noble man.

With his death, the next person in line for the throne was the lady Lyndis, the granddaughter of Lord Hausen and the only surviving member of House Caelin. She was a close friend of Mark's, and it was her ascension ceremony that he had come to attend.

However, he was concerned about Lyn's choice to remain in Caelin. Lyn was not only a Lycian noble; she was also of Sacae, the daughter of the Lorca chieftain. Raised in the plains for the first fifteen years of her life, there was still much that she didn't know about the world outside of Sacae. She would be subject to prejudice from the people and marquesses of other Lycian territories … perhaps derision from even her own people.

Even without considering those problems, what could have made Lyn choose to stay in Caelin in the first place? Lyn always spoke fondly of Sacae. It was evident that her heart longed for the plains of her childhood. Mark had believed that Lyn would return to Sacae after her grandfather's death. And yet, she decided to stay. Why would she?

No, he couldn't start having doubts about his friend. Mark told himself that Lyn knew what she was doing. She was a strong woman, and would succeed and whatever she chose to do.

"Oh, Mark! You're here!"

Upon hearing his name, the tactician threw a glance over his shoulder to find Lyn standing behind him, a cheerful smile on her face. She was not dressed in her usual Sacaean garb, Mark noticed immediately, but a pale blue formal Lycian dress. It was so unlike her, and Mark's worries reared once again in his head. Would Lyn be able to adjust to being the marquess of Caelin? What if the pressure of the task destroyed her completely and forced her to become someone that she was not?

His misgivings would have to wait. Now was not the time for dark thoughts. He had to be supportive. A warm smile gracing his face, Mark returned Lyn's salutation. "It's nice to see you again, Lyn."

"It's been far too long, Mark, I missed you," Lyn said, giving him a hug. "Did you come for the ceremony? Hector and Eliwood will be attending, too."

Mark nodded. "I won't be staying long, though," he added, pulling away from her embrace. "I came to say goodbye."

"You're leaving? Again?" Lyn sounded disappointed. "What a shame … I had hoped you'd stay a little longer."

"Yes, but it is time I take my leave of this place," Mark said. He paused for a second, distracted by Lyn's uncharacteristic clothing to say anything more.

"Hm?" Lyn noticed the funny look on her friend's face. "What's wrong, Mark? Oh, is it these clothes?" she asked, before he could reply. "Lycian dress is so uncomfortable. It doesn't really suit me. But …" Lyn took a deep breath, and her eyes misted slightly. "I want to do my best … for the people of Caelin."

"Oh, Lyn …" Mark sighed.

"Sometimes, I wonder if my grandfather wished I was more of a lady," Lyn went on. She didn't seem to have heard Mark. "My mother was a kind and gentle person. I wonder if he wished I was more like her …"

"Your grandfather loved you, Lyn," Mark assured her. "Don't you remember? He held on to life for you, even while Lundgren was poisoning him. You helped him recover from the poison. I'm sure … he's proud of you, no matter what."

"Mark … I thank you." The fire and determination returned to Lyn's eyes, and Mark knew that his words had restored her conviction, if only a little. "You're right. I'll succeed my grandfather as Marquess Caelin. I know it won't be easy, but I'll do my best. For my grandfather's sake and the citizenry of Caelin."

That was the Lyn he knew and admired so well. The last of his doubts vanished with her confident declaration. Mark was certain that Lyn would become a great and respected marquess.

"Lyn …"

The rough yet soft voice was familiar to Mark's ears, but he couldn't recall whose it was or where he had first heard it. Lyn, on the other hand, recognized it immediately. "I'm here, Rath!" she called.

Rath, of course. Although they had met earlier in the journey than many others, the quiet nomad rarely spoke to anyone. Mark and Rath were on good terms with each other, but when one was commanding an army of over forty people – especially when said army consisted of many people with strong personalities – it was easy to forget anyone who didn't stand out. The tactician felt his face flush as he remembered the embarrassingly frequent times he would forget Rath's presence. And not just him – Dorcas, Jaffar, Renault, even Ninian …

Truthfully, Mark was rather surprised to see Rath in Caelin. Despite the closeness that had developed between Rath and Lyn, Mark would never have expected him to stay with her in Lycia. Having some knowledge of Rath's past, Mark had expected the nomad to return to Sacae and his tribe as soon as he possibly could.

"Mark … It's been a while," Rath greeted. He was standing beside Lyn, although a few steps behind her. In contrast to Lyn, he looked the same as always.

"Yes, but he won't be staying for long," Lyn informed him, turning to Mark again. "Mark will be leaving after the ceremony."

"That's right," he corroborated. "I have to continue on my journey."

"That's too bad," Rath said. The nomad sounded no different than usual, but Mark took the acknowledgement of his departure as a sign that he would be missed.

Not for the first time, Mark was beginning to contemplate whether he truly wanted to leave his comrades for what could be forever. He had been in Pherae and Ostia earlier in the year, attending Eliwood and Hector's ascension ceremonies. The two lords and their fiancées, Ninian and Florina, had also been disappointed to hear that he was leaving.

Of Eliwood, Lyn, and Hector, Mark was the closest to Lyn. He had known her the longest, and she had saved his life when they had first met on the plains. Never seeing her again would hurt him so much more. She had become his best friend during the two journeys they had ventured on together.

Even facing the possibility that he may never see some of his comrades again if he left, Mark knew that he would never be satisfied with simply staying in one place. He was a traveler at heart. Mark wanted to explore unseen places, to see and learn more than he ever could if he stayed in Lycia. He would miss everyone, but he knew deep within himself that he would take his leave of Lycia someday.

"Oh, Mark," Lyn suddenly started, "I almost forgot. This may be a bit premature, but …" A faint blush colored her cheeks. "Would you be our first child's godparent? We would never have made it through the battles for Caelin and against the Black Fang if it weren't for you."

Rath nodded in agreement, and for a moment Mark was too overwhelmed to speak. He was surprised at how highly all the three lords regarded him. Eliwood and Ninian had wanted him to name their first child – he had suggested Roy for a son and Maia for a daughter – and Hector and Florina had also asked him to be their first child's godparent. For the third time that year, Mark was … touched.

"O-of course," he finally replied, his voice shaking from emotion. "I would be happy to be the godparent of your first child."

"Great!" Lyn exclaimed. "Thank you, Mark!"

"I beg your pardon." General Wallace, one of Lyn's vassals and a general whom Mark knew very well, loomed behind Lyn and Rath. He had managed to approach them while escaping anyone's notice. "Lady Lyndis, let's go."

"I'm coming Wallace," she said. "Mark, I'll see you at the end of the ceremony." And with one last smile, Lyn followed Wallace down the hall.

~FE7~

The ascension ceremony for Lyn took just as long as Eliwood's had been, but neither had been as long as Hector's. Mark had to chuckle at that. Hector, who hated ceremonies and formalities, was the new Marquess Ostia, the leader of the Lycian League. It hardly seemed to suit him, but Mark knew that Hector would do his best as well.

Several Lycian lords and nobles had attended Lyn's ascension. He didn't know the marquesses of most of Lycia's other territories, but Mark noted with a hint of distaste that the marquess of Araphen was present – most likely not by choice, but due to necessity. There was no doubt that Caelin and Araphen's relations would be strained, with Marquess Araphen's hatred of Sacaeans and his refusal to help Lyn during her campaign to take back Caelin from Lundgren.

Also present in the throng of marquesses and nobles was Lord Erik – the son of the former marquess of Laus, now Marquess Laus. Why he was allowed to remain in control of his territory, Mark would never know. Both Erik and his father had supported the rebellion against Ostia. His ascension – which Mark most certainly did not attend – had also taken place that year, after Hector's but before Eliwood's.

Speaking of Eliwood … out of the corner of his eye, Mark thought he saw a glimpse of red hair in the crowd. But it had disappeared almost as soon as he had seen it. Not wanting to cause a commotion by looking for Eliwood when he may not have even seen him, Mark decided against pursuing the flash of red. Try as he might, he didn't see Hector, Florina, or Ninian anywhere. But Mark knew that they would have been present.

Feeling uncomfortable in the mass of people, Mark made his way towards the edge of the ceremony grounds – far enough from the crowd for relief, but still within the vicinity so that Lyn would be able to find him. Mark let out a breath of relief once he was away from the horde of nobles. His gaze drifted to the setting sun in the distance. As the end of the day neared, so drew the close of the chapter of his life adventuring with the Lycian lords and their comrades.

"Mark …" Lyn's voice came from behind the tactician.

Had she been waiting there for him the entire time? Mark slowly came face to face with Lyn, for what would possibly be the last time. "Lyn."

"Will you be going now?" she asked quietly. "Are you sure you can't stay?"

"Lyn …" Mark paused for a second, then began again. "Two years ago … when we first reached Caelin … you asked me the same thing. Do you … want me to stay?"

"No … I know you can't," she said, answering his question as much as her own. "But still … I'm going to miss you. We've been through so much together."

"I'll miss you, too," Mark said. "But … you have Rath here with you – and Kent and Sain and the others. You'll be a fine marquess, I know you will."

The lady of Caelin nodded, her eyes looking unfocused and watery. She too was aware that it would be a long time before they saw each other again, if ever.

A long silence passed between the two, neither knowing what to say. Then, Lyn threw her arms around him and Mark did the same, the two sharing a final heartfelt embrace. They remained that way for about a minute, until Mark separated from Lyn and stepped back. "Well … I should leave now. It's time for me to go."

The tears came to Lyn's eyes, but she was smiling even as the tactician retreated into the sunset. "Thank you for everything, Mark. We'll see each other again … someday. I know it."

~FE7~

A/N: I know there are some unanswered questions at the end of this chapter, perhaps too many for me to list them all here. But rest assured, I'm going to do my best at addressing each of them throughout the story. I don't like plot holes, so I'll try not to make one.

Also, I tried to make the prologue of this story similar to the epilogue at the end of Eliwood and Hector's tales in FE7, where the tactician goes to the main lord's territory to attend their ascension ceremony and if the lord is paired then their future bride gets to say something too.

Finally, I've started editing a few of the chapters that I've already written. I should probably start working on chapter five instead, but I really want this to be high-quality work, and that means going back and editing previous chapters as I see fit.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I actually went back to this chapter and made a few tiny edits to places I thought needed them. Hopefully I won't have to do this too frequently, go back to older chapters and edit stuff, but I like things to read as smoothly as possible.

Also, there won't be much dialogue yet. This chapter assesses the situation and the reasoning behind character actions.

~FE7~

Chapter 1

Two months had passed since Lyn had become the marquess of Caelin. Within that short period of time, her duties and responsibilities had increased exponentially.

After her ascension, she had received many visits from the leaders of the other Lycian territories. All wanted an evaluation of the new Marquess Caelin. They wanted to see for themselves what kind of person she was; what her temperament was like; how paramount would her Sacaean heritage be in her reign and was it true that her husband-to-be was also of the plains and perchance would Caelin became a Lycian territory under Sacaean rule?

It had been a harrowing experience, dealing with the rulers of the other territories, one after the other, and the end nowhere in sight. Her fellow Lycian marquesses were all men; Lyn was the only woman. She was also one of the youngest of the Lycian League. Only Eliwood, Hector, and Erik of Laus were close to her age. One marquess was a few years older than her. The others were at the very least the age that her parents would have been had they lived; a few were nearly or as old as her grandfather had been.

Much to her surprise, however, not all of them had been disdainful. Having spent a year in Caelin prior to her journey with Eliwood and Hector, Lyn had learned of the subtleties and ways of Lycian nobles. They were masters at twisting their words, giving insults without actually saying anything of the sort. Their underhanded ways were so unlike the open and blunt Sacaean honesty that Lyn was used to.

Lord Orun, the marquess of Thria, had been astonishingly cordial towards both her and Rath – almost to the extent of Eliwood. He showed no contempt for either her lineage or her gender. Rather, he had politely inquired about the plains that had been the home of Lyn's childhood, and then they had a pleasant conversation spanning many topics such as the state of their respective domains and the future of Elibe. Later, Lyn learned that Lord Orun was the elder half-brother of Hector. Marquess Thria appeared to be nothing like the loudmouthed lord of Ostia. But Hector had a good heart underneath his brash exterior. Anyone related to him had to have the same goodness as well.

Marquess Ryerde and the steward of Santaruz had also been polite. They didn't seem to be entirely at ease around her, but never were they disrespectful. Perhaps it was because they didn't know her very well yet. Lyn was determined to earn their respect, to show them that her presence would only make Lycia stronger. And, in the case of Santaruz's steward, she did not wish to make the man's life any harder by intentionally provoking him. The marquess of Santaruz had been murdered over a year ago, before Lyn had joined up with Hector and Eliwood, by the same villain who had tried to kill her grandfather. Santaruz had yet to recover from the sudden loss of its marquess, as competent as the steward may have been.

But they were the only decent ones. The marquesses of the other territories – Laus, Araphen, Tania, Worde, Kathelet, and Tuscana – were hardly welcoming. Their questions were pointed and meant to offend, hoping to draw an irate response from Lyn or a violent action from Rath. Neither had risen to the bait, but Lyn could barely contain her rage at their unjust treatment. They derided her for being a mixed half-Sacaean child, and a woman at that, and challenged her ability to rule.

The worst were Marquess Laus and Marquess Araphen. Erik of Laus had never met Lyn personally, for she hadn't yet joined Hector and Eliwood when Erik had suffered defeat at their hands. But even without knowing anything about her, it was evident that Erik had his reasons for disliking her. After all, she was the friend of his sworn enemies, which was reason enough for him.

Even more spiteful than Erik was Marquess Araphen, who knew not only Lyn but also Rath. His hatred of Sacaeans was more virulent than that of the other marquesses, but he also had a personal dislike for Lyn – the savage and insolent daughter of his only love and the man whom she had eloped with – and Rath – his former captain of the guard who had resigned in an act of rebellion.

She had nearly been driven to exhaustion entertaining the rulers of the other Lycian territories while attempting to make a good impression. But at the end of two long months, the visits had finally stopped. Lyn felt that she would never have made it through without the help of her friends. They had given her the support she had needed to remain in control during the often-stressful dealings with the other marquesses.

To her disappointment, Eliwood and Hector were unable to pull themselves away from their obligations to visit Caelin. Lyn had been hoping to see not only Hector and Eliwood, but also Florina and Ninian.

Although she had considered traveling to Pherae and Ostia herself if Eliwood and Hector couldn't come to see her, Lyn herself did not have the time to do so. The visits from Lycia's marquesses had pushed many of Caelin's internal affairs to the bottom of Lyn's priority list; affairs that would be better dealt with sooner than later, lest they worsen.

For a brief moment, Lyn wondered how Marquess Laus had been able to take the time to visit her. His ascension had been around the same time as hers, Hector's, and Eliwood's, after all. But it was also true that he had been acting as marquess longer than any of them, having to take control of Laus' rule after Lord Darin's desertion. Also, whereas they had been traveling across all of Elibe during the previous year, Erik had never left Laus and was up to task with all his duties.

As difficult and complicated as things seemed to be, Lyn refused to give in to the pressure. She couldn't let her grandfather down. She couldn't let her parents down. No matter what, she would become a great leader to her people.

~FE7~

Lyn walked down the castle hallway, admiring the decorations and artwork that adorned its walls, nodding a polite greeting to the knights and servants whom she passed by. The servants would smile back, then turn to one another and whisper excitedly while sneaking glances at their lady's back; the knights would stand at attention or bow, acknowledging their lady respectfully.

They had all expected that Lyn would return to the plains of Sacae after her grandfather's death. Their lady had always spoken fondly of the plains and had clearly hoped to return. However, when word got out that she would remain in Caelin as its marquess, the knights and servants of House Caelin were surprised but pleasantly so.

Just then, an exuberant and familiar voice echoed throughout the corridor, and was followed by an equally familiar and exasperated one. Grinning, Lyn turned to face her two most loyal knights – the first Lycians that she had ever met – Kent and Sain. At Kent's side was the pegasus knight Fiora. Their hands were intertwined, and both were blushing noticeably.

Both Sain and Kent had planned to request a discharge from service once Lyn departed from Caelin. Upon hearing that their lady would stay as marquess, Sain had immediately changed his mind and renewed his vows to his liege. Lyn smiled at the memory of it – Sain, with his wide grin and joyful demeanor, had bowed before her and smacked his head against the hilt of his sword.

However, Kent had been more conflicted than his green-clad partner, which had initially confused Lyn. Kent – who was truer to his duty than any other, a model knight. But then, she learned of his relationship with Fiora. Lyn only knew her as the elder sister of her dearest friend Florina, but Kent and Fiora had fallen for each other during the conflict against Nergal and the Black Fang.

Kent had wanted to join Fiora in Ilia after Lyn left Caelin, but could not bring himself to end his service to his lady. Fiora, although she loved her homeland dearly, chose to join Kent in service to Caelin instead and assured him that living in Lycia would also put her in closer proximity to her sisters, Farina and Florina.

The lady allowed her mind to wander as Kent began scolding Sain about something he had or hadn't done. Florina … her best friend was still in Lycia, but she no longer resided in Caelin. During the yearlong journey to rid Elibe of Nergal's morphs, the shy pegasus knight had somehow fallen for the loudmouthed and coarse Hector of Ostia. Lyn hadn't any idea how they had come to be together, but they were truly in love. Once the conflict was over, Florina accompanied Hector to Ostia and became its lady. From the letters she had sent Lyn the past year, she seemed to be adjusting well.

Wil had also resigned his position in Caelin's army for love. The cheery archer had reunited with his childhood friend Rebecca during the conflict and had gone to Pherae with her to join her in service to Eliwood. Lyn missed his optimistic presence as well, but was happy that he had finally decided to return home. She had bothered him repeatedly throughout the journey to write to his parents, and it thrilled her to know that he would at last meet with them after years of absence.

Fiora's sharp voice cut through Lyn's thoughts then, bringing her back to the present. Smiling guiltily, but relieved that none of them seemed to have noticed her spacing out, Lyn excused herself and went on her way. Sain, Kent, and Fiora responded in kind before returning to their discussion.

The lady continued her stroll around the palace until she reached the castle courtyard, where she saw that Rath was practicing his swordplay with Guy and Heath, all three under the watchful eye of Wallace. Lyn joined them outside, but opted to chat with Wallace instead of joining in the swordfight.

Wallace, a longtime vassal of House Caelin; a friend and rival to her father, Lord Hassar. In spite of his odd tendency to always lose his way wherever he was going, Lyn found him just as reliable as Kent and Sain. Unlike the rest of her companions from the conflict, who were close to or equal to her own age, Wallace was a father figure – offering wise advice and wisdom when it was needed. His trainings, on the other hand … Lyn mentally noted the need to speak to Wallace of his unorthodox methods.

But Heath and Guy had been unexpected additions to the Caelin army. Even now – as she observed the swordfighter and the wyvern rider advance on her lover from both sides, only for Rath to dodge both their strikes in one graceful movement – Lyn couldn't help wondering how they had come to become so dear to her.

She remembered a brief conversation with Heath when he had first defected to their army, surrendering to her and Eliwood, but that had been the only one between them. He had turned up suddenly one day, in the middle of a training session, startling everyone on the ground and nearly getting himself shot down from the sky for it. Luckily for him, Kent had vouched for his identity. Heath had apologized for his actions, then told her of Kent's proposal to join the Caelin knights. Kent had confirmed the exchange right then and there, adding that he had reprised the offer after Lyn's ascension, and Heath had been accepted into knighthood shortly afterwards.

On the other hand, Guy had enlisted with Caelin not for the sake of its marquess, but for her fiancé's. Sometime after Lyn's coronation, Rath, Kent, and Sain had left the castle to survey the state of the countryside, returning later that night with an unconscious and dying Guy in tow. The swordfighter had teetered on the brink of death for weeks, but had made a miraculous recovery. Although Guy had thanked Lyn and the others, he had vowed his life to Rath specifically – claiming that it was his duty to protect his fellow Sacaean and the son of his chieftain. She had not known that Guy was also Kutolah, but he and Rath seemed to have an almost brotherly relationship.

Lyn gave a sigh of content and leaned back against the tree she was sitting under. All was well. Caelin was willing to accept her, to give her a chance to prove herself worthy. She had worried that the people would not be accepting of a Sacaean marquess, but those who did not want her on the throne were fewer than those who supported her. Public opinion held her in high regard compared to her granduncle, Lundgren, who was despised by most of Caelin.

Very little time had gone by since her ascension before she had become used to her tasks as Marquess Caelin. Her duties, although numerous, were always done properly and punctually. Lyn also traveled around Caelin, making sure that her people were living comfortably; that there were no outside threats or internal uprisings in progress; to learn more about the citizenry.

It hadn't taken her long to manage her schedule, and once she had done so Lyn found that she was able to enjoy the things in her life outside of her duty to the realm: sparring with Kent and Guy; observing Wallace as he terrified the new recruits – and Sain – with his strict training regiment. Kent and Fiora had also had a daughter whom they had named Jena, a little girl with her father's red hair but her mother's blue eyes. Lyn spent much of her free time with the family.

What she loved most, though, was being with her beloved Rath. On clear, dry nights, they would often travel atop the highest cliff in Caelin, not far from the castle, where they could see the plains of Sacae … like how she used to when she had first come to Caelin. The longing for the plains would never disappeared from her heart, but Lyn believed that her choice was right.

~FE7~

_Finally, it was all over. Nergal's mad ambitions to open the Dragon's Gate and the chaos that had come with his plans … it had all come to an end. The tension that had been heavy in the air for the previous year had finally dissipated._

_The lady Lyndis felt nothing but relief once the fire dragon summoned to Elibe by Nergal had been defeated. Now her grandfather was safe, and there would be no further threats to the security of Caelin or Lycia. Everything seemed to be resolved._

_And yet … in the back of her mind, Lyn couldn't help thinking about the uncertainties that were forthcoming. She intended to stay in Caelin with her grandfather until his passing, but what would become of her future once he was gone?_

_Her heart desired to return to Sacae, to the land of her childhood, the plains that she had spent the last two years away from. But her journey with Eliwood and Hector had helped Lyn mature and grow. In a battle, emotions were complicated matters. Losing oneself to such impulses could cloud one's judgement and lead to poorly considered maneuvers, which could lead to dire consequences._

_Lyn had learned to reason with her mind instead of listening only to her heart. And her mind was currently telling her that nothing would be as it once was. The Lorca were no more. They had been brutally murdered during a bandit raid, and the survivors were too few in number, too scattered, to rebuild the tribe. It was likely that they had joined with the other larger tribes of Sacae. And they had already refused to follow a woman. Even if she returned to Sacae, Lyn could never return to life as it had been before the massacre._

_But she could still belong to the plains. Her lover, Rath, was of the Kutolah tribe. The Kutolah were the largest and strongest tribe of Sacae, much more organized than the Lorca had ever been, and Lyn could not imagine that the tragedy of losing her people would repeat itself there. She could join Rath and the Kutolah once her grandfather had died, return to the plains she loved so dearly._

_It sounded like the perfect solution, but the doubts still lingered. The Kutolah and the Lorca were both tribes of Sacae, but each tribe had its own practices and traditions. The people of other countries neither understood nor cared about the differences amongst the various tribes, but to a Sacaean they were all too obvious – the tribes didn't even share a common language. The dissimilarities in Lorca and Kutolah culture could become too oppressive for Lyn to handle – especially since one was the ways of the most powerful clan in Sacae, and the other was the tradition of a dead tribe._

_There was also no guarantee that the people of the Kutolah would accept her. Although not as severe as Lycian hatred for Sacaeans, the plainspeople had their own suspicions and dislike for Lycians. Like how Lyn had initially feared that her grandfather would not be accepting of a mixed blood child like her, it was possible that the Kutolah would not want someone tainted with the blood of Lycia amongst them, much less marrying the son of their chieftain._

_She was certain … that there would be no certainty in her life if she chose to remain in Sacae. Her people were dead; she had been away from the plains for too long; the probably of prejudice against a half-Lycian child was only too present. There was no returning to the innocent lightheartedness that Lyn had known as a child for the first fifteen years of her life, only what-ifs and worst-case scenarios._

_In stark contrast to the uncertainties that lay before her in Sacae, her future in Caelin was clearer and more stable. She knew that she would succeed her grandfather as Marquess Caelin and become a member of the Lycian League. The dear friends that she had met – Eliwood, Hector, Kent, Sain, Wil, and Ninian, to name a few – and her best friend Florina would all be in Lycia. A life in Caelin did not mean spending the rest of her life alone._

_What she wanted from Sacae was the life she had lived before the raid that had cost her all that she had known. Lyn wished for a normalcy that would never happen, and it was only until she began thinking rationally with her mind that she realized it. Rather than returning to Sacae to find something she would never be able to obtain, the best choice for Lyn was to start a new life in Caelin where everyone she now loved was._

_Well … almost everyone, at least. Lyn's only regret in her decision was that by choosing Caelin, she would have to relinquish her chance for a future with Rath. Having been banished from his tribe over fifteen years ago, Rath had been away from Sacae for much longer than Lyn ever had been. His destiny likely fulfilled with the defeat of Nergal, Rath would certainly wish to return to his tribe._

"_Lyn …"_

_The noble lady of Caelin was interrupted from her musings at the sound of her lover's voice. She turned to see Rath standing several paces behind her, the reins of his horse clutched in his left hand. His expression was devoid of emotion as usual, but Lyn was aware that the lack of emotion was due to not knowing how to express them._

"_Oh, Rath!" Lyn blushed and moved to stand beside him, gripping his free hand with both of hers and resting her head on his shoulder. She turned her gaze to the newly risen sun in the distance, illuminating the once somber Dread Isle with the light of hope. "Beautiful, isn't it?" She sighed._

_Rath said nothing in response, but she could feel him relax against her and return her hold on his hand. It was all that Lyn needed to know that he agreed. Basking in the moment, Lyn let her eyes wander the vicinity, surveying the rest of the army still present in the area._

_Eliwood was holding Ninian in his arms, both of them looking very happy to be together. Lyn was thrilled that everything had worked out in the end for the Pheraean lord and his bride-to-be. Eliwood had lost Ninian once, in a tragic accident that had led to Ninian's death. But Ninian had been miraculously brought back to life and two had a second chance for happiness._

_Florina was sitting on Hector's right shoulder, giggling and smiling at him as Hector grinned up at her. When had Florina grown up? Lyn had always been her protector on the plains, but now … she appeared to have mostly overcome her fear of men, seeing her so secure and comfortable around Hector._

_Near the outskirts of the surrounding forest were Wil, Rebecca, Dart, and Farina. Dart was yelling at Wil – something about the latter's stupidity – and the archer was trying to placate the man whom he believed to be his childhood best friend. Rebecca wore an exasperated "you're-on-your-own" look on her face, and Farina was egging Dart and Wil on._

_Kent and Fiora stood together near the temple, enjoying each other's company and ignoring the chaos around them. Sain was hiding behind a temple wall, silently congratulating his friend for loosening up enough to start a relationship. Nino was trying to get Jaffar, who was hiding in the shadows of the trees, to socialize._

_Marcus, Lowen, Harken, and Isadora were congregated together, close to Eliwood to keep an eye on him but far enough to give him and Ninian space, discussing the future of the knights of Pherae. Harken and Isadora's hands were intertwined. Near Hector and Florina were the Ostians, Oswin, Matthew, and Serra. Oswin and Matthew were speaking in hushed tones, but Serra's voice could be heard from anywhere in the camp and she was clinging onto Oswin with an iron grip._

_Bartre, Karla, and Karel were farther away from the rest of the group. Karel had his arms crossed and was learning against a tree, almost invisible within the shade, observing Bartre and Karla as they sparred. How Bartre was still so full of energy even after a grueling battle, Lyn had no idea. Nor did she know how Karla was able to keep up with him._

_Aside from them, everyone else seemed to have disappeared from Lyn's field of vision. But she knew that they were nonetheless present. Erk had led a distraught Priscilla to the back of the temple, Raven watchfully scrutinizing the pair. Lyn could hear Wallace's voice even if she could not see him. Heath and Vaida had taken to the skies, and she could make out the shapes of their wyverns. Canas and Pent had begun a scholarly conversation about magic and had retreated inside to avoid interruptions. Mark, who had been noticeably shaken after the final battle, had asked for a moment alone. They had given it to him without a second thought. Lyn wondered if her friend was all right. He had looked rather ill …_

"_What's wrong, Lyn?" Rath asked, noticing that her eyes were glazed over in thought._

"_Hm?" Lyn blinked, snapped out of her reverie, and stared at Rath blankly for a moment. "Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about everyone here. We … we finally won. The nightmare we've been living for the past year is finally over. Now we can all move on with our lives."_

"_Mm." Rath returned his gaze to the forest surrounding the temple._

_Lyn paused for a moment, unsure of how to tell Rath about her intentions to stay in Lycia. Although they had never spoken of it, the two held the unvoiced belief that Lyn would set off for Sacae after the death of her grandfather. As a fellow Sacaean, Rath knew better than anyone how strongly the plains called to her. Likely, they called to him just as strongly. Would he understand her reasons for choosing Caelin?_

_She contemplated reconsidering her decision. Was a sense of security in her future worth losing the man she truly loved and the plains that her heart wished so desperately to return to? In retrospect, was giving up everything she had in Caelin and Lycia a fair price to pay for her whimsical desires, which she knew deep down would never be fulfilled?_

_Her head throbbed with the turmoil of her thoughts. Whatever her decision was, something would have to be sacrificed. But which was the best for her? Which option would allow her to hold onto what she wanted more than anything in the world, the security that she would never have to be alone again?_

"_Rath …" Lyn stared into her lover's eyes and took a deep breath. "I've been thinking for so long … and I've finally made my decision. My heart will always be in Sacae, but … I will remain in Caelin after my grandfather's death as its marquess." She paused, waiting for Rath to respond, but when he said nothing she went on, "I love the plains dearly, and my childhood there was the best years of my life. But … I have to think clearly. So much has changed since I first learned about my grandfather and Caelin. I have been away from the plains for so long … I have found dear friends in Lycia and I know I will never be truly alone should I choose to stay there."_

"_Lyn …"_

"_My entire tribe is gone," Lyn continued, as if she hadn't heard him. "There is no one else who will be waiting for me in Sacae other than you. And … I'm worried, that your tribe will not accept me. The Sacaeans do not trust Lycians. What would they say about me, a mixed child? Would they accept our love? I … don't want to feel like an outsider among my own people. I don't be alone ever again. That's why … that's why I've decided to stay in Caelin. The people may not immediately accept me, but I will never have to be alone, and I know that Eliwood and Hector … and Kent and Sain and the others will be there to support me." Lyn exhaled, having finished her explanation. "Rath … I'm sorry …"_

_The Kutolah nomad was quiet, as he usually was, but instead of his usual unreadable expression he appeared to be pensive, as if he were deep in thought. After several minutes of silence that Lyn wanted not to break, Rath finally spoke. "Lyn of the Lorca … I shall accompany you to Caelin, if that is what you wish."_

"_W-what? Rath …" Lyn was shocked, so shocked that she could barely string her thoughts into a coherent sentence. "Rath … are you sure?" she asked. "I know that you've been away from the plains so much longer than I have … and, I have a commitment to Caelin but you don't have the same duty … and – there will likely be many Lycians who will not accept you …"_

"_Do you not want me along?" Rath asked softly._

"_No, __it's not that!" Lyn cried out. "It's just … I don't want you to feel like you have an obligation to me, if my choices will cause you suffering …"_

"_I will be at your side, of my own will, for as long as you will have me," Rath said._

_Lyn's eyes watered, and she felt a great weight lifting from her shoulders. With a sigh of relief, she leaned against Rath once again and smiled at the morning sun. Contrary to her fears, she would still have Rath with her even in Caelin. The plains of Sacae may fade to become merely a memory of her past, but Lyn she knew that she would never again experience the loneliness that had once consumed her. The trials and tribulations of her future loomed threateningly in the back of her mind, but with the support of her dear friends Lyn knew that nothing could overcome her._

~FE7~

_Rath was no stranger to the unexpected happenings that occurred in his life. Ever since his banishment from the Kutolah, when he was but a child, he was hardly ever surprised by the twists and turns that he encountered in his travels. He had learned to walk whatever path lay in front of him._

_And yet … he had never expected his life to take such a drastic and unforeseen turn. Never would he have imagined that he'd develop feelings for a woman of dual Sacaean and Lycian heritage; that he would voluntarily choose to accompany her to her domain when it had been the plains of Sacae that he had longed to return to so desperately since he was a child._

_When Lyn had spoken to him of her decision to remain in Caelin, Rath could tell that she had put much thought and consideration in her choice. It had clearly been difficult for her to choose between her two homes, but she had picked the path that had seemed right for her. And it got Rath thinking about his own options as well._

_On the one hand, there was no question that he would return to Sacae and the Kutolah once Nergal was defeated. A dark flame, consuming all … Nergal's scheming ambitions fit well with the vague instructions he had been given by the tribe diviner before he had set off on his journey._

_Surely, helping Lyn and her fellow Lycian lords thwart the dark druid's plans was what his destiny had intended for him. He would finally be able to see the plains he had been away from for so long … he would finally be able to go home to his tribe._

_But upon further thought … Rath began to wonder if he truly wished to return to the people who had so callously cast him out. Prophecy or not, he had been less than four at the time. He could have died mere days after his exile and no one would have ever known. It was nothing short of a miracle that he had survived on his own for so long._

_He did not think about his banishment from the Kutolah often. But whenever he was reminded of it, Rath was only too aware of a strange feeling in the back of his consciousness. A feeling that he could not identify or understand at the time – until now._

_Resent. He was resentful of the way his fellow plainspeople had treated him. The people of other tribes had laughed and ridiculed him. His own people had thrown him out at such a young age due to an ambiguous prediction that hadn't come into play until fifteen years after it had been foretold. He had traveled around Elibe enough to know that the people of the other countries were prejudiced and intolerant and had their faults – but the Sacaeans, despite their honesty, were no better than the rest of Elibe._

_Even his impulses to help a Sacaean in need – when he had saved Lyn from the assassin in Araphen and when he had led Guy back to the troop after the swordsman had lost his way – stemmed from his resentment. By assisting the people who had shunned him and cast him out, it was as if his actions were saying, "You may have abandoned me and mocked me, but I'd never stoop as low as you and I would help you if you needed it."_

_He had never given much contemplation to his views on the people of Sacae and how he felt about his exile. Once Lyn had opened his mind with her own introspections, he found that he did not wish to return to the Kutolah. Would they even accept him back, after so many years? He had seen so much, lived through more than most of his tribesmen ever would … readjusting to life within the tribe would be a tortuous and difficult process._

_Still … Rath knew that if he followed Lyn to Caelin, he would certainly be faced with prejudice. There was no escaping it in Lycia. But Lyn … she would encounter the same hardships as he would. The pain of intolerance would not be as harsh if he and Lyn dealt with it together. And he could not deny that the members of the Lycian lords' coalition were good people. Even if he had only conversed with Lyn, Guy, and Wil, he had observed the others' interactions. The army seemed to consist entirely of those who were tolerant of all people. It was … strange, for everyone in such a large group to be so accepting, but it was not something he would complain about._

_His decision had been easier than Lyn's. As much as he still wished to return to Sacae, he held no love for the people of his tribe or of the other tribes. After he was able to realize his resentment, he found that he wanted nothing to do with the Kutolah. Lyn had accepted him from the start; Lyn had given him a chance to belong somewhere … and he wasn't about to disappoint her._

~FE7~

_Shortly after their victory, the Lycian army departed from Dread Isle and headed back for the mainland. After several days at sea, the first sign of land at last came into view. Once Fargus had docked at the port of Badon, the army had dispersed and gone their separate ways. In a matter of minutes, only the people whose destinations were within Lycia remained._

"_We're here, we've made it to Lycia," Eliwood said, a weary yet pleased smile on his face. "I worried that we would not see our land again …"_

"_I can't believe it's only been a month," Hector agreed. "When we stopped at Ostia before we left for Valor … it may as well have been a lifetime ago!"_

_Lyn giggled at his words. "Hector, you exaggerate far too much," she told him._

"_Hey, I do not," the armored lord grumbled._

"_Peace, both of you," Eliwood interrupted, massaging his temples. "Let us not argue amongst ourselves now. There is much to be done."_

"_Yes …" Lyn became serious as well. "I must return to Caelin, to make sure my grandfather is well."_

"_Mm …" Hector frowned. "It won't be easy, the next year or so. We will be busy with the internal affairs of our realms. So many unexpected things have happened …"_

_Eliwood looked down at his boots, a somber expression on his face. "Yes … you're right. This tragedy has taken so much from all of us, from Lycia."_

"_Lord Eliwood …" Ninian had a sad look in her eyes._

"_Ninian, please don't be worried about me," Eliwood whispered. "Everything will be fine. We overcame Nergal's mad ambitions. We can make it through anything."_

"_Um, Lord Hector …" Florina began, "will we be going directly to Ostia?"_

"_I don't see why not." Hector shrugged. "Why? Do you need to stop by somewhere?"_

"_W-well, I was hoping to visit Ilia one last time …"_

"_Lyn," Rath said, "I will join you in Caelin. But first there is something I must attend to in Sacae. I must return to the Kutolah."_

"_What? But, Rath …" Lyn had a troubled look on her face. "Are you sure that's wise? I mean … having to return to the people who hurt you … I don't see why you would go back to them at all!"_

"_I understand. And yet, I must face my tribe and my past if I am to move on." He paused for a moment, and then added, "I did not part with my father on good terms. I want to make things right between us."_

_The lady of Caelin nodded, her expression darkening. Ever since Rath had told her about his banishment from his tribe, Lyn felt nothing but anger at the Kutolah for abandoning him so. "I cannot take the time to go with you. My grandfather needs me. Will you … be all right, on your own?"_

_Rath's normally stoic expression wavered slightly, but the slip went unnoticed. "I won't be gone for long."_

"_Very well," Lyn said. "I'll wait for you, Rath … come back to me, safe …"_

~FE7~

_The fastest route to Sacae was through Caelin, so Rath traveled with Lyn and her retainers until they reached the domain. He had been intending to continue on his way to Sacae, wanting to get the unavoidable meeting with his tribe and his father over with as soon as he possibly could. But Marquess Caelin had refused to let him leave so soon._

_Lord Hausen had not argued with his granddaughter's choice of husband, having learned the error of his ways many years earlier after he had refused to accept his daughter's relationship with a Sacaean. Instead of being discouraged, the lady Madelyn had eloped to Sacae with her lover and Marquess Caelin never saw her again. He would not repeat the same mistake with Lyndis._

_However, he wanted to know what kind of person his only granddaughter's fiancé was, even if he held no venom towards the Sacaeans anymore. Rath found himself constantly under Lord Hausen's interrogation. The marquess would strike up conversation with him, inquiring about his past; how he and Lyn had met; what he had been doing before they had met. Hausen had even ordered his servants to observe Rath's behavior for him should he be unable to do so himself._

_After a month or so of regarding him suspiciously, Marquess Caelin finally seemed to accept Rath as Lyn's future husband. He became less questioning and a bit warmer, and on one occasion gave Rath some advice on adjusting to life in Lycia._

_Shortly after he had earned Lord Hausen's trust, Rath had taken his leave of Caelin. The sooner he faced the Kutolah, the sooner he could move on with his life. He set off for Sacae, being especially careful to avoid the territory of Araphen. About a month and a half had gone by before he reached the Lycia-Sacae border, and an additional two weeks before he came across the Kutolah camp._

_It had been over a decade since he had last seen his tribe. It was doubtful that anyone would recognize him – it had been far too long. Rath doubted that he would remember any of the people that he used to know either. But it did not matter, for he had no plans to stay longer than he had to._

_Taking a deep breath, Rath dismounted his horse and slowly approached the entrance of the camp. It was time to meet with the Kutolah chieftain … his father._

_As he neared the campsite, he caught the attention of two nomadic troopers who were standing guard. They drew their weapons and moved towards him vigilantly, watching for any sudden movements._

"_State your name and business," one said. He had an arrow notched and ready to be shot, his bow pointed at Rath's heart._

_Carefully keeping his expression blank, Rath gave the man his name and stated his intent to speak to his father._

_The two sentries turned to each other, dumbfounded, unsure of what their next actions should be. The second watchman had then gone inside the camp, presumably to report the predicament at hand to their chief. The other remained at the entrance, his bow lowered and pointed away from Rath but still loaded._

_Not a minute later, the second guard returned outside, looking a bit flustered. "Let him in, it is the chieftain's orders," he said._

"_Fine …" his partner replied, hesitant._

_The other man turned to Rath and motioned for him to enter the camp. "The Silver Wolf will see you in his ger."_

_Rath walked past the sentries and through the entrance. The moment he stepped into the camp, he paused to take a quick look at his surroundings. He had expected to be flooded with memories of his life with the Kutolah, or to perhaps feel a longing for the life he had been cheated of. But … there was nothing. He felt nothing. The place he had considered to be home was little more than a strange land that he held no attachment to._

_The people in the camp ceased what they were doing and stared. Strangers were not welcome amongst the Kutolah, and it was rare to see anyone not of the tribe – Sacaean or not – in their part of the plains. For an outsider to be allowed inside … it was almost unheard of._

_Mothers drew their children close, retreating to the safety of their gers. The men and the warriors readied themselves for a fight, their hands gripping the hilt of their swords or their bows and arrows. Rath ignored them and went on his way, stopping only when he reached the chieftain's ger. He paused for a moment, his resolve faltering, then let himself in._

_His father had been waiting for him. Lord Dayan, known as the Silver Wolf among Sacaeans and the greatest warrior of Sacae, had his back turned to his son and was facing the opposite wall. He gave no indication that he was aware of Rath's presence. The silence between them was tense and neither took the initiative to be the first to speak. Finally, Dayan turned to face his son._

_During his banishment, Rath could barely remember his father – anything about him, really. What he looked like, how his voice sounded, his personality … nothing. But Rath immediately took note of the fact that the past fifteen years had taken a noticeable toll on his father. Lord Dayan had only been a few years older than Rath currently was when Rath had been exiled from the Kutolah. Now, the Silver Wolf appeared to be much more aged and hardened. His eyes were sharp and cold – years of being the chieftain of the greatest tribe in Sacae and the strongest warrior of the plains had made him jaded. And yet, the harshness in them disappeared and seemed to soften when they landed on Rath._

_Dayan approached his son, stopping about an arm's length away from him. They stared at each other for what felt like several minutes, then Dayan wrapped his arms around Rath and pulled him close. The embrace had felt awkward at first, but the feeling it brought was not unwelcome. For a moment, Rath almost forgot that he wouldn't be staying._

"_You've returned at last," the chieftain finally said. He then released his hold and sat down on the floor, motioning to his son to do the same._

"_Yes," Rath replied, sitting across from his father. "I believe that the dark flame has been extinguished."_

"_Tell me of your journey."_

"_After I left Sacae, I ended up in Bern and spent several years there. Then I traveled to Lycia," Rath said._

"_I see …" Dayan scowled. "Go on."_

"_I served Araphen as its captain until the marquess made his hatred for our people apparent, and accompanied Marquess Caelin's granddaughter in her journey to take back her realm. I then worked as a mercenary until I met Lyn again a year later," Rath continued._

"_This Lyn …" his father began, "she is the granddaughter of the Caelin marquess you spoke of?"_

"_Yes. After I joined Lyn and the Lycian lords she was with, we traveled to the Dread Isle to stop the dark flame the diviner had predicted."_

"_What was the cause of the dark flame?"_

"_A dark druid who had lost himself to madness. He sought the return of the dragons to Elibe."_

_Lord Dayan rose to his feet and placed a hand on Rath's head in an affectionate gesture. "You have done well. Thanks to your actions, the disaster threatening all of Elibe will not come to pass. I'm proud of you."_

"_Mm …"_

_It was strange, really. Since his exile from the tribe a decade and a half earlier, Rath had thought that his life would go back to normal once he had earned his father's acceptance. Even after coming to the conclusion that he was angry with his people for throwing him out, a part of him had believed that everything would be all right if he just went home._

_But now … his father, the greatest warrior of the plains, had expressed pride in his son's achievements. It didn't make Rath feel any different, didn't lessen the bitterness and the pain of his abandonment. He had been on his own for far too long to understand what normalcy was like. There was no life for him to return to in Sacae. The best he could hope for was a new beginning with people whom he knew he could trust._

"_It has been far too long," Dayan said. "There is much to talk about. Many things have changed, things that you should be aware of. I will also need to begin preparing you for your responsibilities as the next chieftain of our tribe."_

"_Father …" Rath inhaled deeply and willed himself to continue speaking. "I will not be staying for long."_

_The Silver Wolf immediately turned to his son at those words. The expression on his face was one of confusion, as if he were unsure if he had heard correctly. "What do you mean you are not staying?"_

"_I have no intentions to remain in Sacae, to be the next leader of the Kutolah," Rath said, with more conviction and strength._

"_But … I don't understand …"_

"_I've decided … I will be going to Lycia. I will start a new life in Caelin."_

"_What!" the chieftain exploded, all sense of control gone. "What are you saying! Lycia, of all places! What is the matter with you? Have you forgotten your pride as a Sacaean?" His voice became low and dangerous._

"_I have never forgotten," Rath retorted, bristling at the offense._

"_Then why? What other reason could you have for leaving? What could …" His father trailed off, then he suddenly gripped him by the shoulders. "You're leaving because of this granddaughter of the Caelin marquess, aren't you? What did she do to you? Tell me, if she hurt you –"_

"_Lyn hasn't done anything to me," Rath argued, in his lover's defense. "She is the daughter of the Lorca chieftain, a proud daughter of Sacae. I will be at her side for as long as she wishes."_

_The revelation that Marquess Caelin's granddaughter was also of the plains did not placate Lord Dayan. "You would turn your back on your tribe?" he hissed._

_"I would support Lyn in all that she chooses to do."_

_Dayan narrowed his eyes and his expression darkened. "I see it now." His arms dropped to his side, his fists clenching in anger. "You are in love with this Lyn … a half-blooded child! She is the reason you will not stay, is it not? I won't allow it!"_

_Rath forced himself not to wince. Things were not turning out the way he had hoped they would. "Father, please –"_

"_Be silent! If this is how you truly feel, then I want you out of my sight! If you will not return, then never show your face here again!"_

_With a shaky breath and a quick bow, Rath hurried out of the ger and the camp, and away from the Kutolah. The confrontation with his father had gone terribly. He hadn't expected his father to be happy about his decision, but … now, he was effectively banished from the tribe again. And this time, he could never go back._

_When he had chosen Lyn and Caelin over his former tribesmen and Sacae, Rath knew that he would not return. So why did it hurt so badly when he already knew that he wouldn't be back?_

~FE7~

A/N: Kent and Fiora's daughter, Jena, is only one of a few OCs that I will be putting in this story. Hopefully, they won't clutter the fic or steal the spotlight from the established characters. But they do have their purpose in the long run, and they'll all be around Sue's age or so.

I tried to rewrite parts of the last scene of the chapter, where Rath returns to the Kutolah. Maybe not all the reasons for what has transpired between Rath and Dayan are clear. But I didn't intend to explain those reasons in this chapter anyway. I will get back to that, but that's in the future. Also, I'm trying to draw a parallel between Lyn's grandfather and Rath's father. Both Hausen and Dayan disapproved of who their children were in love with, and they both lose their children because of it.

Also, I really don't think Rath is OOC. I'm trying to keep him in character, but open up a new interpretation to said character. He's so quiet, who knows what he's really thinking? It's kind of interesting how much I can make his characterization mine and keep him in character at the same time.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: One thing I noticed when I was working on the first two chapters is that I can't seem to move the story along unless it's night. I spend the morning and the afternoon doing nothing, and when it's nine or ten at night I start writing and I'm still working on the chapter by the time midnight comes around and I don't want to stop but I have to.

So, hopefully the first chapter cleared up some of the questions that you may have had after the prologue. I also know the format of the chapters that the story will be in. Each chapter from this point on will be another year of Lyn's life … until I reach the plot of FE6. I know what'll happen in the story from now on, but I won't spoil it for you.

Thank you for all the feedback as well, everyone. Enilas, I have plans for Mark and I know what I'm going to do with him in this story. But it won't happen for a long time. Gunlord500, I won't mind if you nitpick, as long as it will help improve the flow of the story. I'm always looking for improvement. Yes, Lord Orun is from FE6 and I believe it was mentioned that he is Hector's half-brother. Yeah, the second part of the chapter did skip around a bit. But unless I can figure out a way to get the same idea across in a smoother way, I'm probably not going to change it. I also agree that Dayan was a bit OOC in comparison to what he was like in FE6, but I think he may have lightened up a bit over the 20 years. So … yeah, I made him a bit … scarier, for now.

~FE7~

Chapter 2

"Everyone, hold your positions!" Lyn hollered over the pandemonium. "We cannot afford to fall back!"

A roar of acknowledgement from the Caelin knights echoed in her ears. Drawing an arrow from her quiver, Lyn took note the destruction that had been caused. The village was on the outskirts of Caelin – not far from the territory of Tania, which in turn bordered the mountains of Bern. The unruly bandits who populated the mountains often launched raids into neighboring Sacae and Lycia.

Several days earlier, Lyn had received word from a messenger of Tania that the territory had been invaded by a band of brigands. The knights of Tania had successfully repelled the ambush, but the bandits had headed for Caelin after their failed attack.

Lyn had mobilized her soldiers immediately after she had received the message. Leaving Chancellor Reissmann in charge of the affairs of the castle, Lyn had set out with her troops to intercept the brigands before they entered Caelin. They had been too late to stop the bandits from crossing into Caelin's borders, but were able to surprise them by thwarting their raid on one of the villages.

Most of the buildings surrounding them were intact, due to the swift interference of the Caelin knights, but a few had their walls smashed in, their doors broken down, and set aflame. Lyn had put Kent and Heath's brigades in charge of putting out the fires and getting the villagers to safety. The remaining knights had engaged the brigands in battle.

"Milady!" Kent called to his liege, bringing his horse to a stop beside her. "We've managed to evacuate all of the civilians. Fortunately, no one was harmed in the initial attack."

"Thank you, Kent," Lyn said, exchanging her bow in favor of the Mani Katti, which was sheathed at her side. "All troops!" she shouted. "Now! Let us vanquish these bandits! Drive them out of Caelin!"

Her knights responded with a jubilant cry, recovering their vigor and resolve. The battlefield was once again alight with the clash of weapons and the screams of Caelin warriors and bandits alike. Kent quickly excused himself and joined Fiora, who swooped down from the skies and speared a ruffian with her lance. He had asked Fiora to stay behind with their daughter, but Fiora had reminded Kent that she was a knight of Caelin and she too was obligated to defend the realm. He hadn't argued with her reasoning.

Lyn fought alongside her soldiers, cutting down brigand after brigand. With each bandit that fell to her sword, the clearer the night of her tribe's massacre replayed itself in her mind.

She despised thieves and brigands more than anything else in the world. The monstrous Taliver bandits had taken away everything from her – her parents, her people, the life she had known until then. She had wanted to grow stronger so she could avenge the Lorca, but Wallace had traveled to Bern and destroyed the Taliver bandits in her stead so that his lady could move on with her life. After being denied her revenge, Lyn was able to let go of her hatred. But now … the emotions that she had suppressed so long ago had returned full force. She would not allow the tragedy of her people to repeat a second time.

A scream of pain from nearby brought her thoughts back to the present. The voice was a familiar one – it was Sain's! Lyn hurried in the direction that she had heard the scream and saw Sain lying on the ground, blood gushing from his side and leg. Rath was kneeling beside him, trying to halt the flow of blood.

"Sain!" Lyn cried out, running towards the two men. She began digging through her pack for a vulnerary. "Rath, what happened?"

Rath wordlessly motioned behind them, at the dead body of a bandit. The brute had one of Rath's arrows shot through his head. The axe that he still gripped in his hands was covered with blood; some of it was surely Sain's.

"Ah, Lady Lyndis …" Sain crooned, even as his voice grew faint. "How it lifts my very spirit your concern for this humble knight! Your words warm my beating heart, oh beauteous one!"

"Is that so, Sain?" Lyn muttered, distracted in her search for any healing items. "Ah! Found one!" The noble lady of Caelin extracted a vulnerary from the bottom of her pack and handed it to Sain. "Here, take this," she said. "Stay here, both of you. We've routed almost all of the bandits. It won't be much longer."

Her fiancé's response was a simple nod. Sain, on the other had, felt the need to give a speech. "You are far too kind, Lady Lyndis, to value our safety so highly! We would traverse to the ends of the world in our duty to you!"

"Um, yes, thank you, Sain," Lyn said. She choked back a giggle at the look Rath gave her, which clearly demanded to know if Sain always spoke so eloquently and flatteringly. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry about me."

Sain's appraising words followed her as she ran to the other end of the village, in stark contrast to Rath's silence. When she located her knights, she found that very few of the bandits were still alive. But they were putting up a fierce fight, refusing to be defeated.

"Kent!" Lyn ran to his side and slashed the throat of the bandit that had him cornered. Fiora landed her pegasus on a ruffian that was about to bring his axe down on Marquess Caelin's head and stabbed him with her lance. Lyn thanked her and turned her attention back to the commander of her forces. "Kent, what is the situation?"

"Only their leader and a few holdouts remain," Kent reported, accepting an elixir from Fiora. "However … they are the strongest and the rowdiest of the bunch …"

"Kill them all!" the largest of the brigands, the leader of the band, shouted. "Kill these accursed knights! Show them the might of the Barlon bandits!"

"Ugh …" Heath grimaced as a wild axe stroke grazed his torso. He pressed his hand against the wound. Luckily, the cut was not deep, but it would surely become infected without medical care.

"Heath! Withdraw!" Lyn yelled. "Everyone, get back! Let me deal with this."

Reluctant to expose their marquess to danger, but unable to go against her orders, the Caelin knights parted to create a path leading Lyn to the bandit leader. They then drew back and formed a circle around their lady and her enemy. The brigands did the same, snickering amongst themselves.

"You … you are a woman?" The leader of the bandits sneered. "Wench, do you really think you can go against me, Garlow the Great?"

The Barlon bandits hooted with laughter. Caelin's knights bristled at the insult to their marquess, but Lyn was unaffected by his affronts. "If you wish to surrender now, then I shall let you live," she said. "Otherwise, I will not hesitate to cut you down where you stand."

"Insolent little brat!" The amusement had vanished from Garlow's voice and was replaced with rage. "No more niceties! Prepare to die!"

Bellowing at the top of his lungs, Garlow raised his axe above his head and brought it swinging down. Lyn sidestepped out of the way and parried his axe with her sword. Garlow pulled his axe back and lashed out at Lyn, but the lady of Caelin struck the palm of his hand and made him drop his weapon. Once he was disarmed, Lyn drove her sword into his chest, striking him in the heart.

"Graah!" Garlow screamed, coughing up blood. "You … you little –"

The rest of his words were lost in a gurgle of blood streaming out of his mouth. The leader of the Barlon bandits took one final breath, shuddered, and collapsed to the ground, dead, blood pooling beneath him.

Lyn calmly sheathed the Mani Katti, looking down at the body of the brigand she had just killed without a hint of emotion on her face. Her knights were in awe – never had any lady of House Caelin ever shown such proficiency in the art of battle. The Barlon bandits were gaping at the slain body of their boss, horrorstruck. They had never expected Garlow the Great to be struck down so quickly and effortlessly by a noblewoman.

"R-retreat!" one of the remaining brigands shouted. "That woman … she is not human!"

"She'll kill us all!" cried another. "No!"

The panicked bandits were thrown into a frenzy. They fled in opposite directions, screaming in terror. Any organization that had existed amongst them had disappeared the moment Lyn had cut down their leader.

"Lady Lyn," Guy said, "should we chase them down?"

"Let them go," Lyn answered, her eyes following the bandits' retreat out of the village, a hard look on her face. "They won't be back. Kent. Fiora. Lead me to the villagers. Wallace, you are in charge until we return. Tend to the wounded and report to me the state of the village."

"Yes, milady."

"As you say, Lady Lyndis!" Wallace guffawed, reveling in the thrill of victory. "You there!" he said, pointing to Guy. "Take a few men with you and survey the damage done to this place!"

"R-right away, General Wallace!" Guy squeaked. Like Sain, he too had grown to fear Wallace's overzealous ways. The Sacaean swordsman quickly recruited the assistance of three knights who were uninjured from the battle and they began to work on their task.

"This way, Lady Lyndis," Fiora beckoned to her.

Kent and Fiora led their liege to the opposite end of the village, where Lyn had left Rath and Sain waiting. Sure enough, the nomad and the knight had remained true to their word. Neither had left their spot. Sain's wounds had been bandaged and the brown-haired knight seemed to be in good spirits. Lyn smiled at them both, but her expression faltered slightly when she caught sight of the bandage wrapped around Rath's left arm, partially hidden by his sleeve. When had he been injured? She hadn't noticed any wounds when she had last seen him.

"Kent! My boon companion!" Sain declared. "And beautiful Fiora! How are you faring on this fine day?"

"Sain, be serious!" Kent snapped. "Those bandits … had we been any later, then this town would have been razed to the ground."

"I know that!" Sain argued, his cheerful expression slipping into a frown. "I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Sir Sain, please … now is not the time," Fiora said, her voice adopting the same no-nonsense tone Kent used only too often with Sain.

"Dear Fiora! Anything for you, oh lovely one!"

"Sain, you've been hurt," Kent said abruptly, his eyes landing on the blood-soaked cloths that lay strewn around his partner. "Haven't I warned you repeatedly that being distracted in battle could lead to your demise?"

"Come on, Kent, give me a break," Sain said. "I do pay attention to my surroundings, but even you couldn't keep track of everything that happens. Besides, I had Rath here to watch my back in battle!"

"Don't be insolent!" the redheaded knight hissed. "Lord Rath is Lady Lyndis' fiancé! You have a duty to protect him –"

"It's all right," Rath interrupted, speaking for the first time since their arrival and saving Sain from having to listen to Kent's lecture. He hadn't moved from where he had been sitting, for Lyn had immediately gone to him and unwrapped his bandages to examine the wound.

"Lady Lyndis," Fiora called to her. "I've brought the villagers." While her husband and his partner argued like young squires, Fiora had carried out the assignment that her lady liege had assigned her.

Lyn rose to her feet and turned to the pegasus knight, taking note of the people who trailed behind her. She counted no more than fifty, and over half of them were either young children or the elderly. The lady felt joy at having been able to save her people, something she had not been able to do for the Lorca. "Well done, Fiora. Thank you."

One of the men stepped out from the crowd, a tall middle-aged man with a bushy mustache and brown hair cropped short. His manner of dress was plain and simple, the same as that of the other villagers, but he carried himself with an authority that the rest lacked. "You are Marquess Caelin?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe that the ruler of their land was actually standing before him.

"I am," Lyn said. "I trust you are all unharmed?"

"Yes, all thanks to you, my lady," the man said, bowing deeply to her. The townspeople followed suit. "I am the magistrate of our village. We are in your debt, Lady Lyndis. To think that the marquess herself would come to this backwater village to defend us! We are truly honored, my lady."

"Please … stop," Lyn said, her face coloring in embarrassment from their praise. "I … I am nothing special. I intend to protect my people. What right do I have to be marquess if I stay in the safety of the castle while my knights risk their lives in my service? I will fight alongside my men to ensure the security of Caelin."

The villagers stared at her in awe, mouths agape, stunned into silence by their marquess' proclamation. Lyn kept her eyes fixed firmly ahead, the strength reflecting from them testimony to the truth in her statement. Rath, Kent, Sain, and Fiora stood at her side, lending credence to her words.

"My lady, you are far too kind," the magistrate finally said, his voice thick with emotion. "We are grateful … we are grateful." He reached into his shirt and removed the pendant around his neck. "Please accept this talisman as a token of our appreciation."

"Oh, no … I couldn't …" Lyn shook her head and stepped back. "It was nothing, it is my duty to protect the people."

"With all due respect, my lady, please accept it," the magistrate persisted. "We all wish to show to you our gratitude."

Lyn was about to decline once again, but she then noticed the hopeful faces of the villagers. They made no effort to hide their anticipation on whether Marquess Caelin would accept their gift or not. Not wanting to disappoint her people, Lyn gave in. "Very well," she said, a smile lighting her face and accepting the talisman from the magistrate. "I thank you for your kindness. I promise, I will do my best to keep Caelin safe from any who may invade our borders!"

"We will remain loyal to the Lady Lyndis!" one of the townspeople shouted. The crowd burst into cheers and applause at the declaration.

"I …" Lyn was so touched by their praise that she was unable to form a complete sentence save, "Thank you."

A heavy weight seemed to have lifted itself from her shoulders. Lyn felt her heart grow warm at the villagers' approval. In the two years she had reigned as marquess, she had always been concerned about what the people thought of her, if they had truly accepted her as Marquess Caelin or if they merely tolerated her because they had no choice. Now she was certain; there were people who would see that she was doing her best to ensure Caelin's future. Earning the respect of those who doubted her would not be easy, but it was not an impossible task. It was entirely doable.

With a final farewell to the magistrate and his people, Lyn motioned to her companions to follow. "Great work, everyone! That was nicely done! Now, let us rejoin Wallace and the others. Once we have finished inspecting the destruction that the raid has caused, we will return to Castle Caelin."

"Yes, milady."

"As you say, Lady Lyndis!"

"Understood, my lady."

"… Sure."

"Come!" Lyn, her mood exuberant and her arms outstretched, raced through the village. In her bliss, she failed to notice that Rath, Kent, Sain, and Fiora – despite being mounted on their horses and pegasus – were having a hard time keeping up with her.

~FE7~

Since the downfall of Nergal two years prior, peace seemed to have finally returned to the Lycian League. After the return of Lyn and her fellow lordlings Eliwood and Hector to their domains, the unrest that had permeated all of Lycia had only thickened. The marquesses of the other cities had by that point heard of the deaths of Marquesses Santaruz and Laus, and that the rebellion against Ostia had failed. Suspicions raged rampant amongst the League. Hector knew not the allegiances of anyone except for Eliwood and Lyn, and so he could trust only them. In turn, the other marquesses cried favoritism; that Hector was unfairly biased in favor of Lord Pherae and Lady Caelin.

The initial months after Hector's ascension were especially trying for everyone. His first action as Marquess Ostia was to determine the loyalties of all Lycian territories to the Ostia. The fact that he had given Pherae and Caelin his immediate approval had invoked uproar from the rest of Lycia. Laus threatened secession in protest of what its ruler perceived as Marquess Ostia's unfairness. Araphen and Tuscana grew increasingly mutinous as well, although they never went so far as to consider breaking away from the League. Santaruz was too embroiled in its own internal affairs to challenge Ostia's ruling; however, their domestic issues prevented a consistent response to Ostia.

Lyn would receive letters from Eliwood in Pherae and Florina in Ostia, concerned about Hector's well being. Eliwood would write that Hector was far from patient, especially with the whining of those whom he considered idiots, and that he was worried Hector would do something drastic. Florina was distressed at seeing her beloved fiancé work himself so hard. Her letters told of how exhausted Hector would be at the end of each day and how disappointed in himself he always seemed to be.

As much as she wished she could lend her assistance, Lyn knew that there was nothing she could do to alleviate the situation. She had not yet earned the respect of all of the marquesses, and Hector's friendship with her was one of the sources of ire for the other territories. Also, Lyn did not want to risk worsening Ostia's situation. Her loyalty to her friends was just as strong as Eliwood's and Hector's, and she was uncertain whether she would be able to keep her temper in check if her friends' capabilities were mocked.

The tension that had placed the Lycian territories against one another had at last come to an end once all of the marquesses' affiliations had been made clear. Everyone had been allowed to remain in control of his realm, and the steward of Santaruz had formally been raised to the position of Marquess Santaruz. The nobles had nothing to complain about for once, and Lycia entered a time of peace.

Not long after things had settled down, Pherae announced that their Lord Eliwood and Lady Ninian were to be married. Lyn was delighted for the couple, but she found herself unable to attend the wedding. Urgent issues had arisen in Castle Caelin. Rath, Heath, Kent, and Jena had all fallen ill. Although reassured by the physician that it was not a life-threatening malady, Lyn chose to stay in Caelin. She sent a letter of congratulations and a wedding gift to Pherae, wishing the newlyweds nothing but happiness in their lives.

It had taken at least two years for the lives of the three lordlings to regain a sense of stability. But with the solution of Lycia's troubles came the long overdue tranquility that Eliwood, Hector, and Lyn had desperately hoped for. Despite the difficulties that remaining in Caelin had brought her, Lyn did not regret her decision and would she not trade her life for anything in the world.

~FE7~

Hector, much to Lyn's surprise, had not attended his best friend's wedding either. It wasn't until much later that she had learned of the reason why. A group of Ostian nobles were in protest against the way Hector chose to rule Ostia and the Lycian League. In the midst of discontent, others had seized the opportunity to raise other complaints about Hector – his engagement to Florina, a lowly mercenary from Ilia, for one. It was apparent that a general era of peace in all of Lycia did not equate to universal peace within the individual cantons.

In addition to the internal struggles that ran rampant in Ostia, Lyn assumed that Hector had also suspected the presence of foreign spies in Ostia. She remembered hearing from Eliwood how after Hector's brother Lord Uther had become Marquess Ostia, every country in Elibe had sent a spy to Ostia to evaluate the new marquess' temperament and abilites. Now that Hector was the new Marquess Ostia, there were likely to be spies watching his every move.

Lyn knew that there as no guarantee that Caelin itself was free of spies. On the contrary, the circumstances of her very existence made Caelin as likely of a target for foreign spies as Ostia. The Lycians were the worst when it came to discrimination against Sacaeans, but the other countries all looked down upon the plainspeople to some degree. The fact that the lineage of House Caelin would be primarily Sacaean surely would have piqued the interests of Lycia's neighbors.

The possibility of spies aside, Caelin was free of troubles and enjoying the calm. The people were not dissatisfied with her rule and had all but accepted their liege. The marquesses of Tania, Kathelet, and Worde had begun to respect her as a fellow member of the Lycian League. Her life and the lives of her companions were stable. All of Elibe seemed to be quiet, for once. Lyn could only hope that it stayed that way.

~FE7~

The days seemed to pass by uneventfully. The reports that Chancellor Reissmann would deliver to her at the beginning of every month proved that the pace of life in Caelin had become slow and without incident. Better than dealing with internal rebellion or power-hungry druids, Lyn supposed.

That morning was no different. She had met with several of her advisors, asking them about the state of affairs in Caelin. They had all reported nothing out of the ordinary. When Lyn had inquired about the rest of Lycia and Elibe – was there anything happening in the other territories or countries that could potentially affect Caelin – her advisors assured her that there were no external matters that she should be concerned about.

It had taken Lyn only an hour or two for her to complete all of her daily tasks. She had been working diligently to fulfill her duties since her ascension as Marquess Caelin, and her hard work had finally paid off in the peacetime. She had more time to spend however she wanted to, with the people she wanted to.

After dismissing the Caelin council, thanking them for their support, Lyn had the rest of the day to herself. She first decided to visit Kent and Fiora, for it had been far too long since she had last had a meaningful conversation with the knightly couple. Their daughter Jena was now a year old, and the young parents had been busier than ever. Lyn often ventured to the training grounds whenever she had the chance to do so, and she had noticed that rarely were Fiora and Kent both present at the same time during drills. One would be at practice with the rest of the knights, and the other would be at home taking care of Jena.

Not that Lyn minded the inconsistency in their schedules. On the contrary, she was concerned that Kent and Fiora were trying too hard to accomplish everything at once. Kent had resigned as the commander of Caelin's forces earlier in the year, so that he could devote more time to his obligations as a father and a husband. But he must have felt guilty about his choice to do so. Lyn was not blind to the fact that he would push himself harder than usual when she did see him during drills.

On her way to the wing of the castle where Kent and Fiora resided, she encountered the couple and their daughter making their way to the training grounds. Kent had his sword sheathed at his side; Fiora held her lance in one hand and kept her daughter supported with her other arm.

"Kent! Fiora!" Lyn called to them. "Good to see you both!"

"Ah … Lady Lyndis …" Kent acknowledged his liege, straightening his posture as he did so. "How do you fare, milady?"

Lyn couldn't help the giggle that escaped from her mouth. "Kent, you never change. Remember, you don't have to stand on ceremony with me."

"Of course, milady," the knight said, relaxing his stance and becoming more at ease. "Are you well, Lady Lyndis?"

"I'm fine, Kent," she said. "I thought I'd drop by and see how you and Fiora are doing. It's been a while since we've had the time to just talk."

"Indeed." Fiora nodded, a slight frown making its way onto her face. "I'm afraid that Kent and I have been occupied, Lady Lyndis. I apologize."

"No, it's not a problem," Lyn said. "I understand that you have many responsibilities keeping you busy. And … I'm a little worried, that you and Kent may be trying to do too much at one time."

"Lady Lyndis, you are far too kind," Kent answered. "But I assure you, it is nothing that we cannot handle. As knights of Caelin, we would never strive for anything less than our absolute best."

"Do not trouble yourself, my lady," Fiora agreed.

"I know, and I am thankful for your devotion, both of you," Lyn replied. "But if either of you are ever feeling overwhelmed, I want you to take some time off from your duties."

"Milady?" Kent began.

"I don't want either of you to work so hard as to push yourselves past your limits," Lyn said. "And I will force you to rest myself if necessary." Her eyes hardened with resolve, and it was clear that she would not back down.

"Milady … I understand," Fiora said, smiling. "Yes, we will do our best not to take on more than we can manage. Won't we, Kent?"

"Yes, of course." Kent's serious expression eased into a grin. "We would never wish to disappoint the Lady Lyndis."

"I'm glad," Lyn said, her voice changing to a more amicable tone. "Don't forget. I'm counting on you."

~FE7~

By the time that Lyn, Kent, and Fiora had arrived at the training grounds after their talk, the other knights had already begun their daily exercises. Surprisingly, Wallace had allowed their tardiness to slide, if only because they had been discussing matters with Lyn.

Almost as unexpected as Wallace's leniency was Rath's presence at the field that day. Due to his reclusive nature, Rath usually went out of his way to avoid large crowds and people whom he didn't know – and in some cases, certain people whom he did know. And yet … there he was, demonstrating the proper way to handle a bow for a group of newly recruited archers. Lyn couldn't help wondering if it had been his own choice to go to the training grounds while it was in use, or if Guy and Sain had coerced him into giving a presentation of his skills. She barely suppressed her amusement at the thought.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Or has the Lady Lyndis come to grace us with her radiant presence?" Sain's voice rang clear across the field. "Ahh … my heart is alight at this vision of beauty that stands before me!"

Breaking away from their drills and rapidly approaching her were Sain, Guy, and Heath. The other Caelin knights were likewise distracted from their exercises, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of their marquess. Wallace attempted in vain to keep everyone on task, but he eventually gave up and allowed the troops a few minutes to socialize.

"Good day, Sain," Lyn said. "I see you're in high spirits usual." She nodded to Guy and Heath and greeted them as well, then turned to the commander of her forces. "General Wallace, I apologize for the interruption."

"Not a problem at all, Lady Lyndis!" Wallace guffawed.

"Lady Lyndis." Heath gave her a quick bow. "What brings you to this place?"

"It's a fine day and I've finished my tasks early," Lyn responded. "I thought I'd come down and see how training is coming along. Plus, I'd like to get some sparring in as well."

"Truly?" Guy exclaimed. "Lady Lyn, I'll spar with you! I've been practicing my skills, and I'm much improved."

Lyn felt the surge of anticipation rising from within her. "Ha! It's a deal. Now, don't go easy on me. I'm very serious when I spar."

"Lord Rath, it's a surprise to see you here," Kent said. "How are you doing this morning?"

"Fine," he answered, with his usual bluntness.

"It's been a while since we've last talked," Fiora continued for her husband. "Even during the peacetime, it seems as though there is much to be done."

"Yes …"

"All right, that's enough goofing off!" Wallace boomed, slamming his silver lance on the ground. "Back to work, troops!"

"Ah … let us go, Fiora," Kent said, following his fellow knights to the center of the field.

"I'm coming, Kent," the pegasus knight called to him. "Lady Lyndis, if it's not a problem … could you possibly look after Jena for me?"

"Fiora, of course it's not a problem!" Lyn replied. "I'd be happy to."

A sigh of relief escaping her lips, Fiora thanked her lady liege and handed her daughter to Lyn before heading over to her comrades as well. Rath joined Lyn and Jena, who were sitting beneath a large oak tree, on the sidelines to keep out of the knights' way.

"Rath! I'm glad to see you," Lyn said as she bounced Jena on her knee. "But I must say … I didn't expect you to be here."

"… I was shooting at the targets," Rath replied after a long pause. "When people started coming to the field, I got ready to leave. But … Guy and Sain …" Rath was hesitant to finish his sentence.

"I see …" Lyn giggled at her fiancé's reluctance. "I thought that they had something to do with it."

"Mm …" Rath looked noticeably uncomfortable, as if he were embarrassed that Sain and Guy had managed to coerce him into doing something uncharacteristic of his personality. Lyn found it rather endearing, seeing her beloved show actual emotion instead of his normally blank face.

Deciding not to pursue the subject any further, though, Lyn turned her attention to Wallace and the rest of her knights as they went on with their drills. She noted with amusement the effect that Wallace's overzealousness had on the soldiers. Kent, Fiora, Heath, and the veterans of Caelin's forces seemed unbothered. Sain, Guy, and all of the squires, on the other hand, were absolutely terrified of the man and his crazy ways.

Once the morning exercises were complete, the training grounds had been all but vacated. The majority of the knights had dispersed, ready to move on with the rest of their day. Only Lyn's companions from the conflict against the Black Fang and a few others remained.

"Lady Lyn!" Guy shouted, running towards the Caelin marquess. "Shall we have our match?"

"Now?" she asked, taken aback by the swordsman's enthusiasm. "You don't want to rest first?"

"A true warrior must always be prepared to fight, no matter what the situation!" Guy boasted. "I'm fine! Really!"

"Well, if you are confident in your abilities, how can I refuse?" Lyn rose to her feet, then placed Jena in Rath's arms before drawing her sword. "Let's go, then! Come at me!"

"Hyaah!" Guy lunged at Lyn, bringing his sword down in an arc, only to have the blade parried by Lyn's Mani Katti. The daughter of the Lorca drew back her weapon and thrust the sacred sword of Sacae forward. The two swordfighters of the plains clashed blades with one another, giving their all.

"Unbelievable." Kent sighed and shook his head. "Where does he get all that energy?"

Wallace laughed, slapping Kent on the back and nearly knocking him over. "That boy has the fortitude of a real Caelin knight! You all should learn from his example!"

"Why … yes, Sir Wallace …" Fiora said, a wary smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, Lord Rath, I'll take Jena now."

"… Here," Rath said, returning the little girl to her mother. After Lyn had passed Jena to him to go spar with Guy, the Kutolah nomad had felt awkwardness at the situation. He barely knew how to interact with people; dealing with a child was beyond his scope of ability.

"Ah, Sir Heath!" Sain exclaimed, addressing the wyvern rider. "I have to ask … for the past two years of your service to Caelin, you have never been to town, have you?"

Heath was noticeably confused at the unexpected question, but answered the green-clad knight. "I … do not believe so. Not outside of duties."

"Pah! You're just like Kent, all serious and devoted to nothing but your duty." Sain scoffed.

"Excuse me?" Kent demanded. He shot his partner a dirty look, which would have been more effective had it not been for his giggling daughter, whom he now held in his arms.

"But I …" Heath protested.

"That settles it, my friend!" Sain said. "Tonight, I shall show you all the wonders of Caelin! I will show you life around town as you have never seen it before!"

As Sain prattled on about the plans for the evening, Heath, Kent, and Fiora shared an exasperated look. Rath could only stare at Sain, unsure what to think. Wallace, who had long lost interest in Sain, was watching Guy and Lyn as they sparred, chortling.

Lyn and Guy were lost in their duel, the world around them nonexistent. Their pride as Sacaeans raging strongly in the atmosphere, neither was willing to give the other the upper hand. In their minds, nothing else mattered. In the moment, only the clash of steel and the thrill of battle were real.

~FE7~

The rest of the day had passed by uneventfully. Once Lyn and Guy had finished their match, everyone had gone their separate ways. Wallace and Guy had remained at the field to continue training, although they did so separately. Sain had dragged an unwilling Heath to accompany him on a visit to town. Kent had briefly considered following them to keep Sain out of trouble, but he chose to spend time with Fiora and Jena instead.

Lyn and Rath, on the other hand, had ventured to the Caelin border – where they could see the plains of Sacae. It had been a while since they had traveled to the cliff overlooking the plains, having been occupied with matters in Caelin.

The marquess of Caelin sighed as she peered upon the endless oceans of grass; she could almost feel the warm breeze blowing across her face. But the longing had become much less painful over the months. Concentrating on all that she had in Caelin instead of focusing on what she had lost in Sacae had helped her outlook. She still looked upon Sacae with fondness, but she now felt that she truly belonged in Caelin.

"I think …" Lyn began, breaking the silence between them, "I think that I finally feel at home in Caelin. I really feel like I belong there. And you?" She turned to her lover. "Do you … feel the same way?"

Rath didn't answer immediately, taking some time to ponder his response. "I don't know what it's like to feel at home," he finally said. "But … Caelin is where I belong now."

With a slight bob of her head, Lyn resumed her gaze at the setting sun as it disappeared beneath the horizon. Several minutes had passed – neither of them saying anything – before Lyn spoke again. "Rath … when we first arrived at Caelin … do you remember what I said to you?"

"I remember," he replied, turning his attention from the plains to Lyn.

"We don't know … how long this peace will last," Lyn went on. "We don't know what'll happen in the future. So, before we lose this opportunity … now that things have settled, let's be married soon."

"All right," Rath said, a light smile cracking his impassive expression.

Leaning on her beloved's shoulder, Lyn continued to talk about her plans. "We'll have a small ceremony when the autumn begins, in the traditional Sacaean way. Lycian weddings are so grandiose, so formal … it's not for me. I just want to be in the company of my dear friends and those important to me. Because … for the first time since I lost my tribe, I feel complete, like I have everything that I ever wanted in life …"

When Lyn and Rath returned to Castle Caelin later that evening, Lyn had called her advisors for an emergency council. Whispering amongst themselves about what could be so important that their marquess would ask them to meet on such short notice, the advisors assembled in the meeting room and waited for their marquess to speak.

Once she was certain that everyone had arrived, Lyn announced to the anticipant crowd that after two years of engagement, she and Rath were finally ready to be married. The declaration was followed by applause and, from Sain, Guy, and Wallace, cheers and congratulations.

By the following day, all of Caelin was in an uproar. The news of Marquess Caelin's upcoming wedding was all that the people could talk about. The vocal minority that still stood opposed to Lyn began moaning their complains again – how they had hoped that Lyn and Rath would succumb to the pressure of life in Lycia and return to Sacae, how it was truly inevitable that the pure Lycian bloodline of House Caelin would disappear.

The general opinion of the citizenry of Caelin, however, was favorable. They were happy for their kind and just marquess, wishing her and her fiancé happiness and good fortune in their lives.

~FE7~

The days passed by quickly and uneventfully. Summer approached its end and the first day of autumn came – the day of Marquess Caelin's wedding.

The crisp afternoon breeze brushed against Lyn's cheeks; her hair, which had been braided and interwoven with beads and ribbons, blew freely in the current. Of the four seasons, fall was the most sacred to the Sacaeans. It was then that the presence of Mother Earth and Father Sky and the spirits around them was the strongest. Lyn could think of no better time for the most important day of her life.

"Lady Lyndis?" Fiora's voice came from behind her. "What are you doing here alone, my lady?"

As Lyn turned to face the pegasus knight, another gust of wind picked up and made her clothes dance in the wind. Instead of her usual sky blue garb, she was dressed in a white outfit of similar style; the only difference in the two other than their colors was the added layer of gauzy white cloth extending from the sleeves and the waist.

"I was just talking to the spirits, Fiora," she said. "I was asking Mother Earth and Father Sky for their blessing."

Fiora nodded in understanding. As an Ilian, Fiora was not familiar with Sacaean culture and Lyn – contrary to the fears of her opponents – had not attempted to push her beliefs onto anyone else. But having serving under Lyn, Fiora was able to see the reasoning behind the Sacaeans' belief and devotion in the spirits.

"Two years ago … in this very spot … that was the last time I had seen Mark," Lyn muttered, speaking suddenly. "I was uncertain that this day would ever come. After my ascension as Marquess Caelin, there was so much turmoil within Caelin … all of Lycia … so much to be done. Not a day went by that I didn't worry I would fail miserably. But … we've come so far …"

"It's all because of your hard work and dedication, Lady Lyndis," Fiora said. "You put the needs of your people above all else, and you are a great ruler. I am proud to serve under your command."

"Ah … Fiora … thank you …" Lyn felt her eyes tear up. Although the two women had barely interacted during their campaign against the Black Fang, they had become closer after Fiora had enlisted with Caelin. She was the only female knight of Caelin and a much better companion than any of the nattering Lycian noblewomen. They had bonded over their shared concern for Florina and talk about the men they loved.

"I only speak the truth, milady," Fiora said. "Well, shall we be off, Lady Lyndis?"

"Yes, let us leave this place," Lyn replied, smiling. "We wouldn't want to be late, after all."

The noble lady and the pegasus knight began heading back to Castle Caelin, to the courtyard where the ceremony was to be held. They used the right entrance and immediately took their places – Fiora with the other Caelin knights and Lyn at the front of the courtyard. As she did so, Lyn spotted Rath and Kent walking in from the other side and assumed that Kent and Rath had also talked as she and Fiora had.

The wedding itself was short and simple, but Lyn felt as though she was being carried through Father Sky's arms the entire time. She had never felt such bliss in her life. As she and Rath exchanged vows, the spirits around them observant, Lyn could have sworn that she felt the presence of the Lorca … of her parents. It made her sad, but also filled her with a sense of happiness.

The crowd gathered at Castle Caelin's courtyard stared in wonderment and awe. None of them had ever witnessed a traditional Sacaean wedding before – they were possibly the first outsiders to ever view one from beginning to end – but Lyn and Rath seemed to be unaware of the inquisitive looks directed at them. Once the vows had been made, they listened to the spirits for their wisdom and guidance in life. To hear the voices of the spirits, it was necessary to shut out everything else, even the slightest distraction could block the spirits' voice. Several minutes had passed before the couple came out of their trance, bringing the ceremony to its conclusion.

Once the service had ended, the guests took the opportunity to mingle and converse amongst themselves. Marquess Caelin and her husband had been separated shortly after the wedding had come to an end – courtesy of Sain and Guy, who had dragged Rath off to parts unknown … for reasons unknown. Lyn wandered the courtyard alone, searching for a familiar face.

"Lyn!" cried an excited voice from amongst the crowd, a voice that Lyn recognized at once.

"Florina? Florina, is that you?" Lyn called.

"Yes! I'm right here, Lyn!" The lavender-haired pegasus knight pushed through the throng of people, making a beeline for her former liege.

The two friends embraced each other in greeting. Florina, despite the growth she had undergone over the years, allowed herself to shed a few tears of joy at seeing her longtime friend again.

"I'm so happy to see you here, Florina," Lyn said as she and Florina parted.

"I couldn't miss your wedding day, Lyn!" Florina answered, giggling.

"Tell me, Florina, how are you doing? Are you doing all right in Ostia? Is Hector here as well?" Lyn asked.

"I'm fine, Lyn, please don't worry about me," she said. "Lord Hector isn't here with me … he said that he had to tend to business, but he wishes you nothing but the best …"

"Honestly!" Marquess Caelin huffed. "How could he let you come down here on your own? It's dangerous! I ought to give him a piece of my mind!"

"Lyn! It's all right … I can take care of myself … I'm a full-fledged pegasus knight, remember?"

"Lady Lyndis! Over here!"

"Eh?" She craned her head in the direction that the shout had come from. "Oh, Wil! Rebecca!" She waved them over.

The two Pheraean archers hurried over to where Lyn and Florina were standing. Both of them had their bows with them and Florina let out a tiny yelp at the sight of the weapons. She quickly hid behind Lyn.

"Wil! It's good to see you," Lyn said. "Well met, Rebecca."

"Hello, Lady Lyndis," Rebecca returned the greeting politely. "And good day to you, Lady Florina."

"U-um … it's a-a pleasure …" Florina stuttered, unable to take her eyes off Rebecca's iron bow.

"Lady Lyndis! Lady Florina! It's been a while!" Wil exclaimed. "Man, has it really been two years since we've last seen each other? How have you both been doing? Rebecca and I are both working for Lord Eliwood and Lady Ninian now. Oh …" Wil stopped himself, as if remembering something. "Lord Eliwood and Lady Ninian send their congratulations, by the way. Lady Ninian has been feeling under the weather recently, so she and Lord Eliwood were unable to come."

"N-Ninian?" Florina asked, peering around Lyn at Wil. "Is … is she … o-okay?"

"Don't be concerned." Rebecca's voice was kind and reassuring. "It's nothing serious. She just needs rest."

Lyn sighed in relief and was about to reply, but it was at that moment that she spotted three of her companions walking around the courtyard. "Erk! Lucius! Priscilla!" she yelled.

The three magic users turned upon hearing their names, and when they saw Lyn motioning them over they hurried over to the lady of Caelin.

Lucius greeted Lyn with a bow and a smile. "Good day, Lady Lyndis," he said. "I am glad to see you in good health."

"Hello, Lady Lyndis," Priscilla said. "Erk and I wish you the best."

"Yes, it's good to see that you're well," Erk agreed. "Priscilla and I stopped by Nabata on our way here. Lord Pent and Lady Louise send their congratulations as well, and they are regretful that they were unable to come."

"It's all right," Lyn said. "I'm sure that Lord Pent is very busy with his research."

Her former comrades began to converse amongst themselves – talking about affairs in their home countries, the events in their lives. Instead of joining their discussion, though, Lyn looked around the crowded courtyard at the other people gathered there.

Not to her surprise, the marquesses of Araphen and Laus were noticeably absent. Lyn hadn't expected to see them anyway; Marquess Laus and Marquess Araphen disliked her the most, would probably never accept her. Their absence was probably for the best, Lyn didn't want to deal with their hatefulness on what was supposed to be a happy day.

The liege lords of Thria, Worde, Kathelet, Ryerde, and Tania were present, however. They had greeted her earlier after the ceremony, before she had run into Florina. The marquess of Santaruz had sent a messenger to Caelin, expressing regret at being unable to attend and offering congrats. Lyn had heard no word from Marquess Tuscana, nor had she seen him that day.

She was about to turn back to the conversation that Florina and the others were having, but something at the edge of the courtyard caught her attention. There was a man standing under the shade of a tree, leaning as far back against the trunk as possible. His green hair and brown clothes made it even easier for him to blend in with his surroundings. The man's intense look was focused and unwavering … but on what? Lyn followed his gaze to the other end of the courtyard and found that he was staring at Sain, Guy, and Rath. The two Caelin knights were chattering nonstop, and Rath had an exasperated expression on his face. So that was where they had gone. Lyn turned back to the man, wondering why he was watching her husband and two of her knights, but the man had disappeared as if he had never been there.

"But … where did he –"

"Excuse me, are you Marquess Caelin?"

Startled out of her thoughts by the voice addressing her, Lyn spun around to see a young messenger boy standing behind her, an expectant look on his face.

"I am. Is there something you need?" she asked.

The boy reached into his satchel and drew a letter from the bag. "I was asked to deliver this letter to you, my lady," he said.

"Oh … thank you …" Taking the letter and dismissing the messenger, Lyn excused herself from her comrades and went to find a place where she could read the letter in private. Unfolding the parchment and skimming its contents, Lyn's eyes widened once she realized who had sent her the message. "It's … from Mark …"

_Dear Lyn,_ the letter read, _I am in Bulgar right now and even in Sacae, word of Marquess Caelin's wedding has spread. I am sorry to say that I probably won't be able to see you and everyone else on your special day. I seem to have run into some mishap, but don't worry about me. I wish you and Rath both the best in your lives. Take care of yourselves. Mark._

"Mark …" Lyn whispered, once she had finished reading. "I hope you are well too, wherever you may be now …"

~FE7~

A/N: I'm sorry. This chapter is way overdue, isn't it? I've been so busy with school, and I have a job now. That cuts down my free time to only three full days where I can basically do nothing all afternoon. But anyway, here is this chapter.

I know the last section of this chapter may be a little disappointing. But I don't know anything about weddings, and I definitely didn't want to make up a Sacaean style wedding. My brain hurts as it is. Again, I may edit the chapter later on when I have time, but for now this is what I'm offering. Hope you enjoyed it.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I had a little extra time, so I went back and edited some parts of this chapter. To be honest, I still feel as if things are a little too dramatic and it made me a little embarrassed to read through, so hopefully I can cut down on that.

~FE7~

Chapter 3

The day had started off uneventfully, as it always had since the previous year. After a slow morning of tending to her duties as Marquess Caelin, Lyn had the afternoon to do as she pleased. She had planned to spend her time at the training grounds, honing her swordsmanship. But on her way outside, she had encountered her friends in the study and opted to join them instead.

All of her companions from the conflict, save for Guy, Sain, and Wallace, were present in the room. Rath and Kent were seated at one of the many tables in the study, where Kent was teaching Rath to write. Fiora sat in an armchair by the study entrance, reading to Jena. Heath stood in front of a bookshelf stocked with tomes that told of ancient wars, tactics, and histories of Elibe.

"Oh, Lady Lyndis …" Fiora looked up from the storybook in her hands. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Milady." Kent rose from his chair and received her formally with a bow. "How do you fare?"

"I'm doing all right, Kent," Lyn replied as she approached him. "I haven't been nearly as busy these days."

"Yes, matters in Caelin have been unusually without incident," Heath said, removing a volume on the history of Lycian warfare from the shelf. "I hope it is not a prelude of disasters to come."

"The calm before the storm …" Kent muttered.

"Lyn," Rath greeted her, taciturn as always. Although he seemed to have become significantly more comfortable around people, especially those whom he had met during the campaign against the Black Fang, he was still mostly distant and spoke little to anyone.

"Good to see you, Rath." Lyn smiled at her husband and sat down beside him. "So, how are your lessons coming along?"

"… Not as well as I had hoped," Rath admitted, almost reluctantly.

The lady of Caelin was barely able to stifle her laughter at her beloved's behavior. Rath hardly showed any emotion and it had Lyn worried about his state of mind – was he so repressed within himself that he couldn't allow himself to feel anything at all? – so even the slightest show of emotion was enough to assure Lyn that the damage from his earlier years was not irreversible.

"Here," Lyn said, finally allowing a giggle to escape her lips. "I'll help you."

Kent and Rath had identical expressions of relief on their faces, although they were both trying to hide it. Rath had been struggling through his lessons with Kent ever since they began, and Kent, who was not the best of tutors, was always happy to have his lady's assistance.

Lyn had arrived at Caelin just as illiterate and oblivious to the ways of Lycia. The man who had tutored her in etiquette and literacy had been extremely brilliant, but he had also been incredibly racist. He had agreed to teach Lyn only because of Lord Hausen's direct orders and had moved to Araphen after his lord's death. Unfortunately, his beliefs were not uncommon amongst Caelin's nobility and educators. With that fact in mind, Kent had taken it upon himself to carry out their duties as well as his own.

The five of them went about their business in relative silence, and the study returned to its hushed atmosphere. The soft whispers of Fiora as she read to her toddler daughter and the low undertone of Kent as he discussed the various characters of written language were the only sounds present in the study.

"Heath, my good man!" Sain's voice echoed throughout the room, breaking the stillness that had been prevalent only seconds earlier.

"Oh … hello, Sain," Lyn said.

"Sir Sain …" Heath didn't seem too happy at being addressed by the green-clad knight. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, Sain, what is the meaning of this?" Kent demanded.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Sain winked at Heath. "As if you were unaware of the tavern girl from town who is completely enamored with your charms!"

"Tavern girl?" Lyn repeated.

"I … I'm afraid I have no idea what you are speaking of …"

"_What? _You cannot be serious!" Sain was scandalized. "How could anyone forget such a vision of radiant beauty?"

Jena laughed and clapped her hands, finding Sain's eloquent vocabulary to her amusement. "Uncle Sain funny!"

"Hey! There's my favorite little girl!" Sain exclaimed, ruffling Jena's hair. "Oh, you're getting so big! Have you been a good girl for your mommy and daddy?"

As their daughter giggled at the antics of their fellow knight, Fiora and Kent exchanged identical looks of exasperation from across the room. As invaluable as Sain was to the Caelin knights and Lyn's reign, his irresponsibility was more than enough to draw the ire of the dutiful couple. Although he was much loved by the citizenry and made time for Jena when no one else would, Kent and Fiora could only hope that their daughter would not adopt any of Sain's bad habits.

Heath sighed and shook his head, barely able to keep the annoyance from seeping into his voice. "Sir Sain … I am not you."

"That will never do! The fair maiden is completely smitten with you!" Sain argued. "She's been asking me about you every time I drop by the tavern! Don't tell me you've forgotten about that night!"

"I remember quite well," Heath muttered. "It was the first – and only – time you brought me with you to town."

"Sir Sain! It is unbecoming of a knight to be seen frequenting at such sordid places!" Fiora scolded. "What would the people think of us?"

"Lovely Fiora, you are so much like Kent … so dutiful and true, but unable to simply enjoy life and see the brighter side."

"Now, Sain, be nice," Lyn cut in before either Kent or Fiora could raise an argument. "They are both very dependable, and it is because of their unwavering commitment that I have been able rule justly."

"Milady! You are too kind! I am proud to serve under you as a knight of Caelin!" Sain saluted his lady liege, then grabbed Heath by the arm and pulled him towards the study entrance. "Follow me, my friend! We must be off!"

"W-wait! Where are we going?"

"The tavern, of course!" Sain said. "That girl's been _dying_ to see you again! It would be impolite to keep the lady waiting any longer."

"Sain, stay," Kent snapped. "You have more important things to do than play matchmaker for Heath!"

"Who are we to deny Heath his chance at happiness?" Sain retorted. "Come! Let us not tarry here any longer!" And with those words, he dragged the still protesting wyvern rider behind him out into the corridor.

Kent massaged his temples, willing his migraine to disappear. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him."

"My … Sain is definitely excitable when it comes to love," Lyn remarked. "I just hope things end well for Heath. He didn't seem nearly as thrilled as Sain was, after all."

Fiora and Kent both glanced at their daughter, who was still laughing at the now absent Sain's actions. "Jena …" Kent started, a weary look on his face, "don't grow up to be like your Uncle Sain. Please."

~FE7~

Three years had passed since the day that Lord Hector, the younger brother of the late former Marquess Ostia, had returned from his long journey with Lord Eliwood of Pherae and Lady Lyndis of Caelin. Much to the surprise of his countrymen, their lord hadn't returned alone. Accompanying him was one of his companions from the conflict, a pegasus knight from Ilia by the name of Florina, the girl who had won his heart.

Since that day, the people of Ostia had awaited the inevitable news – a wait that had lasted longer than anyone had expected. But after years of anticipation, the day that all of Ostia had been looking forward to had finally come. Hector and Florina had announced to all of Lycia that they were ready to be married.

Pherae, Caelin, and Thria were the first to send their congratulations to the soon-to-be couple. Lyn and Thria's Lord Orun had also replied that they would attend the wedding if they had no other pressing duties then, but Eliwood's response had been in the negative. His mother, Lady Eleanora, had taken ill, and he wished to remain by his mother's side until she recovered.

Erik of Laus had refused to acknowledge Ostia's declaration and had given its marquess no answer. He still harbored a grudge against Hector, blaming him for everything wrong in his life. Hector likewise despised the man whom he considered to be a sniveling, pompous fool, and would have outright barred Erik from attending his wedding had Eliwood not dissuaded him from doing so. The Pheraean lord had claimed that it would be unwise for the ruler of all of Lycia to take such actions, saying that the other nations may consider Laus to be the crack in Lycia's defenses.

The lords of the other territories – Tania, Araphen, Ryerde, Worde, Kathelet, Tuscana, and Santaruz – had responded as formally and as eloquently as possible, with promises to be present for the ceremony or apologies that they would be unable to come to the wedding. The marquesses of Araphen and Worde had declined Ostia's invitation; Marquess Tuscana's son had sent word to Hector that he would be attending in place of his ailing father.

Immediately following Hector and Florina's announcement, though, was a flood of complaints from many Lycian nobles. They protested that Florina was a mercenary of no importance and therefore unworthy of becoming the wife of the most powerful man in Lycia, but were unable to sunder the bond of love that Marquess Ostia and his fiancée shared.

Hector and Florina endured through the scrutiny, knowing that Lyn and Eliwood had suffered the same objections – that Ninian was a dancer of indeterminate origin and that Rath was a savage from Sacae. But the four of them had persisted against the outcries of the nobles, and Hector and Florina would do the same.

Lyn was delighted to hear that Florina was finally ready to wed Hector. Surely, her fear of men must have subsided if she were willing to be married. The days of their childhood on the plains, when Lyn had been Florina's protector, seemed so far in the past. The shy pegasus knight had grown so strong over the years, strong enough to take care of herself and to allow Hector into her life.

The conflict against the Black Fang, the race against time to stop Nergal from releasing the dragons onto Elibe … it had brought much tragedy and hardship for everyone. But the journey had also opened their outlook on life and, for a lucky few, given them something worth living for.

~FE7~

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

The bishop's words hung in the air, echoing the solemnity that permeated the atmosphere. Lyn applauded politely along with the rest of the guests as Hector drew Florina into a kiss. Fiora, who was seated beside Lyn, shifted uncomfortably in response to the lord's actions. But Florina seemed not to be startled and she returned the kiss without any hesitation.

Marquess Caelin had kept her promise to attend her best friend's wedding. Accompanying her was the eldest sister of the bride. Lyn and Fiora had never before seen Florina in such a radiant light. Dressed in a white sleeveless gown that extended to her feet, her hair decorated with white lilies and a gauzy veil pinned to the back of her head, she was the picture of strength. Standing next to Hector, who wore the same ceremonial outfit as he had during his ascension, she looked like a true lady of Ostia.

The ceremony soon came to an end and the reception began. Hector and Florina had disappeared into the sea of people almost immediately after they stepped off the raised platform where they were married. The lady of Caelin and her retainer pushed their way through the horde in search of the newlyweds, but could find no sign of them.

"Where could they have gone?" Lyn grumbled. "The two of them just vanished!"

"I'm sure we'll find them, milady," Fiora reassured her. "They couldn't be far."

"Yes, you're right," Lyn agreed, smiling. "Oh! Fiora, look over there! Isn't that Florina?"

Sitting on the podium in the front of the courtyard was Florina, surrounded by the wives and daughters of the other marquesses. The pegasus knight was physically smaller than the rest of the women around her; and yet, her stature did not diminish her confident demeanor.

"Tell us, young Florina, how does it feel to be the new Lady Ostia?" asked an older woman whom Lyn knew to be Marquess Tania's wife. Her voice was gentle and motherly, and she gazed upon Florina with soft eyes.

"Yes, do tell," the daughter of Marquess Worde demanded, an envious glint shining in her eyes. Having had feelings for Hector since they had first met, Lady Worde had not been pleased to hear that Hector had chosen a lowly Ilian mercenary as his bride.

"Lord Hector is the head of the Lycian League, is he not?" Marquess Ryerde's niece said, the air of superiority clear in her voice. "What's it like for you, Florina, to go from the destitution of Ilia to becoming the wife of the most powerful man in Lycia? It's quite overwhelming for you, isn't it?"

"All right, that's enough!" Lyn barked, approaching the circle of women with Fiora in tow. Fixing Marquess Worde's daughter and Marquess Ryerde's niece with a steely glare, Lyn told them coldly, "I think you should best be leaving."

"You dare order me around, _Lady Lyndis?" _Marquess Worde's daughter snapped. "You may carry the blood of Caelin's ruling house, but you're still nothing but a savage from the plains."

"Don't talk about Lyn like that!" Florina cried out, indignant.

"Lady Worde," Fiora began, her voice as frosty as the snow-covered highlands of her home country, "I ask you kindly to refrain from insulting my lady liege."

"Humph …" Marquess Worde's daughter stepped back, cowed by the pegasus sisters' fury and Lyn's hateful glower. "I have far more important things to do than waste my time consorting with the likes of you," she muttered, in a final attempt to save face, and sashayed away with her nose in the air.

The niece of Ryerde's marquess turned to Lyn and Fiora; she at least had the decency to look abashed. "Florina, Lyndis … I'm sorry, my behavior was inappropriate. I apologize for Alicia as well. She … doesn't mean it." The slight hesitation didn't escape anyone's notice, but Marquess Ryerde's niece went on. "Alicia has fancied Lord Hector for some time, and she's just upset that he didn't choose her as his wife. Now, I bid you good day." And with a quick curtsy, she was gone.

Marquess Tania's wife patted Florina on the shoulder as she walked past. "Don't mind them, dear. They mean no harm. That Naira is a good girl, if a little careless in the way she manages her words." She nodded to Lyn and Fiora in acknowledgement, and went on her way.

"Florina, are you all right?" Fiora asked, concern for her sister written clearly on her face.

"Sister! Lyn!" Florina greeted them with a hug, nearly tripping in her high-heeled shoes in her eagerness. "You both came! I'm … so happy …"

"Hey, now, no crying," Lyn teased her friend. "You're the marchioness of Ostia now, Florina. Be strong."

"Ah … y-yes …" Florina sniffed and pulled away from Lyn and Fiora. "Sorry … I'm just … so happy, to see you both."

"Tell me … how are you doing, Florina?" Fiora inquired. "Have you been well? Are any of Ostia's nobles giving you problems? If they are, I want you to let me know."

"Fiora! I'm fine, really …"

"Where's Hector?" Lyn asked. "Wasn't he with you?"

"Yes, but we were separated in the crowd. I don't know where he is now …" Florina glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of her husband.

"Don't worry, he should be around," Lyn assured her. "But honestly! I expected better of him! Leaving you to be verbally assaulted by Marquess Worde's daughter!"

"Lyn … you don't have to be worried about me. I can take care of myself. I wasn't scared of Lady Alicia – oh!" Florina let out a shriek. "Lyn! There's something in the sky! It's … it's a wyvern!"

Panicked screams rent the air as the large shadow of a single wyvern loomed overhead, darkening the courtyard. The wedding guests scrambled for cover. Ostian knights stormed onto the field, brandishing javelins and spears.

"What in blazes?" Hector's voice was barely audible over the bedlam. "What's a wyvern doing here?"

"Lady Lyndis, that wyvern … doesn't it seem familiar?" Fiora asked.

"Yes, now that you mention it …" Lyn replied. She squinted her eyes against the sun, in an attempt to determine the rider's identity. "Is that … Heath? Wait, everyone! Don't shoot!" she shouted, noticing that the knights were taking aim.

"Hold your fire!" Hector ordered, pushing his way through the few stragglers who had not fled the area. "All of you! Stand down!"

"You heard him! All troops stand down!" Oswin, who was the commander of Ostia's forces, shouted.

Word quickly started to spread that the wyvern rider flying above them was one of Marquess Caelin's knights. The partygoers soon regained their composure and began grumbling about the tactlessness of soldiers. After they had everyone calmed down, Hector and Lyn motioned for Heath to land. The former knight of Bern obeyed, and once Hyperion had touched down Heath leapt off the wyvern's back and bowed down on one knee to Lyn and Hector.

"Lord Hector, I apologize for my unannounced arrival," Heath said, keeping his head bent. "We would have sent word had matters not been so dire."

"Hey, it's no problem!" Hector shrugged. "Your arrival gives me an excuse to get away from _them"_ – he made a subtle gesture over his shoulder at a group of noblemen – "so I'm not complaining."

"Heath, you mentioned that there were dire matters concerning Caelin," Lyn brought up. "Has something happened?"

"Yes, milady." Heath looked up from his feet at his liege, his expression more serious than Lyn had ever seen it. "It is … a matter of utmost importance."

"What?" Fiora exclaimed. "Heath, you must tell me … are Kent and Jena –"

"They're fine, Fiora, no one has been hurt," he responded, quelling the pegasus knight's fear for her family. "Not yet, at least."

Lyn didn't like the sound of those words. Something was going on in Caelin, and she had no idea what it was. "Heath, I want you to tell me everything that's occurred while I was gone."

"Milady … with all due respect, this news is pertinent to the security and internal stability of Caelin," Heath said. "You do not wish to hear it somewhere more private?"

"Hector and Florina are my dear friends, I trust them to keep this information secret," Lyn answered.

"That's right!" Hector agreed. "We're here to help!"

"Lady Lyndis, perhaps we should take our conversation elsewhere," Fiora suggested. "There are too many people here in the courtyard at the moment. It would be easy for someone to eavesdrop on us."

"That … that is correct," Lyn muttered.

"Then let us retire to the castle," Hector spoke up. "We will not be disturbed there. I'll make sure of it. Oswin!" he called to his captain. "Florina and I will be in the castle with Lyn. I don't want to be bothered unless it's an emergency, all right?"

"Of course, Lord Hector," the armored knight said.

"Great! Everyone, follow me!" Hector led them into Castle Ostia, navigating the corridors until they reached his private study. Once the others had entered the room, he shut the door behind him and locked it. "All right," he said. "That should keep us from being interrupted."

"Now, Heath, what news do you bring?" Lyn asked.

"Yes, well … it all happened three days ago …"

~FE7~

_With the Lady Lyndis' absence from Caelin, the duties of the realm fell upon the shoulders of her husband. Lyn had been reluctant to leave at first, even for her best friend's wedding, but Rath had been able to assure her that he was capable of handling the task and reminded her that he had Kent to help him out._

_However, managing Caelin's affairs had been more challenging than he had imagined. Lyn, and Lord Hausen before her, had always made attending to their responsibilities as marquess seem mostly painless. But Rath was barely able to keep up with the workload that his position as Lord Caelin demanded of him._

_The biggest difficulty that he faced was his own illiteracy. Most Sacaeans did not know how to read or write, and Rath was no exception. The plainspeople had no written works, only oral traditions and stories. Even during his travels throughout Elibe, there had been no need for him to become literate. Rath had worked as a mercenary, and the only skills required of mercenaries were combat and the ability to follow orders._

_Recently, though, Kent had begun teaching Rath how to read and write. Unlike fighting, however, literacy did not come easily to him. Rath was slow to learn the various characters that made up the written language, leading to much unexpressed frustration on both his and Kent's parts. In addition to Kent's lessons, he still had his duties to tend to __–_ something he couldn't get done without the help of Kent or Sain or Wallace.

_Also, he found the constant opposition from Lyn's political advisors, her council, to be most exhausting. While they had come to accept Lyn as their rightful marquess, they still viewed Rath with much suspicion and distaste. They treated him like a common savage and criticized his every action. Rath barely kept his pride as Kutolah ____– which remained strong despite his rejection from the tribe __– in check and refrained from pointing out that he was the chieftain's son._

_That day, the council had surprisingly little to report, which meant that Rath had finished his duties sooner than he had expected. After an hour or two of reading lessons with Kent, he decided to leave the castle grounds for a while to get away from the pressure he had been under recently._

_Kent had insisted on following him – even if Rath could defend himself, it was his duty as a knight of Caelin to protect his lady liege's husband. Rath didn't argue against it; he and Kent had become good friends over the years. Also, with Fiora in Ostia accompanying Lyn, an air of melancholy had settled over Kent and he seemed more depressed than usual._

_Before the two were able to slip out of Castle Caelin, however, they had run into Guy, who had been practicing his swordplay at the training field. The Kutolah swordsman had been adamant that he would go with them, citing his obligation to his fellow tribesman, and Kent hadn't disagreed with him. In the end, Rath conceded defeat, allowing Guy to come as well even though what he really wanted was to be alone._

_And so, that was how Rath, Kent, and Guy came to be atop the hill overlooking the plains, the same one that Lyn and Rath always ventured to. Guy was standing as close to the edge of the cliff as he could go, enjoying the scene from his vantage. Kent and Rath were nearer to the neighboring forest, still mounted on their horses._

"_Wow! You can really see the plains from here!" Guy shouted, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun. "Kent! Come see! You have to look at this!"_

"_If you say so …" Kent dismounted and walked over to his fellow knight. "You're right … it is simply magnificent," he said._

"_Mm …" Rath tore his gaze from the plains, looking at the forest behind them instead. It still hurt to think of Sacae, to remember his banishment. He wasn't expecting his father to be happy about his decision, but he didn't expect the rage … to be so thoroughly rejected. All the more reason to support that staying in Caelin was the right decision, if the Kutolah would cut off all ties with a fellow tribesman because they didn't agree with his choices._

"_I wonder how Fiora and Lady Lyndis are doing," Kent thought out loud. "I hope they made it to Ostia safely …"_

"_Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine!" Guy exclaimed, drawing his sword from his scabbard. "Lady Lyn is the finest swordswoman around, and Dame Fiora is also a valiant warrior!" he added, taking a few practice swings with the blade._

"_Yes, that is correct," Kent agreed, giving him an amused smile. "I suppose there is no need to worry."_

"_Of course not!"_

"_Lyn is capable of handling herself," Rath said. "They should have –"_

_Abruptly, he broke off in the middle of his sentence. An uneasy feeling settled upon him, something that he couldn't explain. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a metallic glint from close by – behind the branches of one of the trees in the forest!_

_Reacting immediately, Rath pulled on the reins of his horse in a sharp tug. The creature took several quick steps backward, surprised by the unexpected command. At that very moment, an arrow whizzed past Rath's ear, missing his throat by mere inches. It embedded itself in the grass, having failed to hit its mark, and a shadowy figure leapt out of a tree and fled deeper into the forest._

"_Lord Rath!"_

"_Y-you!" Guy bolted past Rath and into the forest, chasing the would-be assassin. "Who do you think you are? Stop and get back here!"_

_Rath slid down from his horse, shocked by the events that had just occurred but barely managing to suppress the urge to panic. Everything had happened so fast. If he had been even a second slower to react … neither Kent nor Guy seemed to have noticed the assassin beforehand. He was lucky to have realized that something was amiss._

"_Milord Rath!" Kent was at his side in an instant, a concerned look on his face. "Are you all right?"_

"_I'm fine," the Sacaean said, fighting back his own nervousness to keep from alarming Kent any further. "I'm not hurt."_

"_Are you sure, milord? That arrow could have been poisoned," Kent said. His voice was calm and composed, but laced with anxiety. "It didn't touch you?__"_

"_I am certain."_

"_Good …" Kent exhaled in relief. "Let us not stay any longer," he said. "There may be more of them in the area."_

"_No." Rath shook his head. "If there had been others, then they would have attacked once the first arrow had missed. They wouldn't give us the chance to put up our guard."_

"_That is true, but we should still head back to the castle –" Kent paused suddenly, upon hearing a rustling in the woods. "Show yourself!" he ordered, unsheathing his sword and stepping in front of Rath._

_The Kutolah nomad reached for his bow, notched an arrow, and pointed it at the forest ready to shoot. But it was only Guy who came storming out of the forest, muttering angrily under his breath._

"_Guy … it's just you," Kent lowered his sword, sighing. "Well? What happened?"_

"_I lost him!" he snapped. Guy's hands were gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, and he looked as if he wanted to punch something. "I almost__ had the guy, but then he disappeared into a denser part of the forest. By the time I got through the trees, he was gone!"_

"_This can't be." The disappointment was clearly present in Kent's expression. "So we don't know who is responsible for this? We are Caelin knights! We cannot just leave it at that!"_

"_Hey! Don't blame me! I did the best I could!" Guy retorted, misinterpreting the other's statement as an accusation. "If he hadn't had a head start, I would have caught him! No problem!"_

"_It's all right," Rath said, his voice reflecting a sense of control that he did not feel. "Let's just go back."_

_With those words, the three began heading back to Castle Caelin. Rath constantly surveyed his surroundings, determined not to let himself be taken by surprise again. Kent and Guy were even more paranoid than he was, more guarded. Not a word passed amongst them – even Guy was quiet for once – for fear of attracting unwanted attention._

"_You don't think …" Kent started, breaking the silence, "you don't think that Lady Lyndis had encountered the assassins as well, do you?"_

"_Lady Lyn! She has to be all right!" Guy shouted._

"_I … cannot say." Rath closed his eyes, lowering his defenses for a few seconds to think. "But __…_ I do not believe so. Lyn is the last of the bloodline of Caelin's rulers. Blood is important in Lycia, is it not?"

_Kent considered the question briefly. "If the Lady Lyndis should fall, then House Caelin will fall as well. There is no clear successor to the throne after her. Civil war would break out and engulf the realm," he said. __"However …" Kent trailed off._

"_What is it?" Rath asked._

_The knight seemed reluctant to finish his train of thought. "If … the Lady Lyndis were to be remarried to a man of Lycia, then House Caelin would once again be primarily Lycian," he said at last. "The people have no choice but to accept Lady Lyndis if they wish to preserve the blood of Caelin's ruling family. But that doesn't mean they will accept her marriage to a Sacaean." Kent paused. "Milord, it is you they are after."_

_"Who do they think they are?" Guy demanded. "They clearly don't know who they're messing with! __The Kutolah will not stand for this! I'm going to send word to the tribe __–"_

"_No," Rath cut in, his voice harsh and a rare spark of anger flickering in his eyes._

_The swordsman turned to him, bewildered. His braid whipped across his face and draped itself over his shoulder. "No? But, Rath – !"_

"_Guy! Don't let yourself be distracted!" Kent warned._

"_Oh!" Guy returned his attention to the path and its surroundings, his cheeks tinged with a slight hint of red. Several minutes had gone by before Guy brought up his question again. "Why shouldn't we let the tribe know about what had happened?"_

"_This is a matter of Caelin," Rath said, avoiding the eyes of his fellow Sacaean. "It is of no concern to the Kutolah."_

"_But – the chieftain …" Guy sputtered. "Don't you think your father would want to know that someone is after your life?"_

"_It has nothing to do with him." Rath looked down at his tightly clenched hands, wishing that Guy would drop the subject but not wanting to show his discomfort. "This is Caelin's business and Caelin's alone."_

_Guy appeared to get the hint that he was threading on unstable ground. He said not a word to anyone for the remainder of the journey. And neither Kent nor Rath seemed inclined to fill the silence._

_The ride back to the castle felt longer than it should have, but the tension that had settled upon the three had finally lifted once Castle Caelin became visible in the distance. Guy had excused himself the moment they had entered the castle grounds, saying that he needed to train. Rath and Kent had walked together to the stables after separating from Guy._

"_We should send word to Lady Lyndis and Fiora," Kent said, speaking for the first time since his outburst at Guy. "We need to let them know about this, and make sure that they are not also in danger.__ I'll ask Heath to fly to Ostia as soon as I see him. The rest of us will keep our eyes and ears open. We'll find the people who are responsible for this, I swear on the honor of the Caelin knights."_

"_I know," Rath said. "I know I can count on you."_

_Kent, ever diligent and true to his duty, had made Rath promise not to leave the castle grounds. Once he had the Sacaean's word, Kent had immediately sought out Wallace and asked the older knight to call a meeting of Caelin's forces. Within the hour, the general had tracked down every soldier in service to Caelin and ordered everyone to meet at the training grounds._

_In front of the assembled crowd, Kent had informed his comrades in arms of the situation. The knights, shocked and outraged at the news, wasted no time in springing to action. They were constantly on guard, distrustful of everyone around them. Heath had flown to Ostia the moment he was able to leave upon Kent's request that he enlighten Lyn and Fiora of recent events. Wallace drilled the troops twice as hard as usual, declaring that they must be prepared for anything._

_Tension had settled upon Caelin, and an air of cynicism and suspicions had replaced the formerly peaceful atmosphere of the realm._

~FE7~

"And that is what's happened," Heath finished.

"I can't believe it …" Lyn's arms hung stiffly at her sides, her hands clenched tightly into fists. "Why … why would something like this happen?"

"Blast!" Hector swore. "I never would've thought that anyone would have the gall to stoop so low!" He turned to his wife, concern for her safety rising within him. If assassins had tried to kill Rath, then it wouldn't be unthinkable for them to come after Florina as well.

The pegasus sisters stood between the two lords, likewise horrified by Heath's report. Florina suppressed a gasp, her hands clasped over her mouth. Fiora's expression was grim; she stared at Heath as if not truly seeing him but looking through him.

"Lyn …" Florina looked at her friend worriedly. "Are you … all right?"

"Milady, shall we return to Caelin?" Fiora asked.

"We must," Lyn replied. Her visage was dark and her eyes as cold as ice. "I will deal with this matter at once. Florina … Hector … I'm sorry, but I must be leaving now."

"It's not a problem, Lyn, I understand," Florina piped up. "I know you and Fiora have to go back. But please … be careful!"

"Oh, Lyn, if there's anything that I can do to help, then just say the word!" Hector offered. "We're all behind you."

"Thank you, Hector," Lyn said, her face softening slightly. "But this is my problem and I intend to resolve it myself."

"That's fine, then," the marquess of Ostia said. "Well, good luck, Lyn! Be well, both of you, all right?"

Fiora embraced her younger sister in a hug. "Take care, Florina. I know you'll become the best marchioness Ostia has ever had." She then turned to her new brother-in-law and fixed him with a stern glare. "Lord Hector … please watch over Florina for me. Care for her and treat her well."

"Hey, don't worry about it!" Hector exclaimed, holding his hands in front of him. "I'll make sure she's happy. Really!"

"Sister!" Florina's cheeks were tinged with red. "P-please!"

"Heath. Fiora. Are we all set to leave?" Lyn asked, reminding everyone of the situation at hand.

"Yes, Lady Lyndis," Heath, who had been waiting silently for the others to finish saying their farewells, answered. "Let us depart immediately."

"Just a minute, I left my pegasus in the stables," Fiora said. "I won't be long," she added, hastening to retrieve her mount.

"Hurry back, Fiora, we can't afford to lose any more time," Lyn called to her.

It only took a minute or two for Fiora and her pegasus to rejoin the group, and once they did so Heath helped Lyn onto Hyperion's back and then mounted his wyvern. After exchanging a final round of goodbyes with Hector and Florina, the noble lady and her knights took to the skies. It was a race to reach their homeland before any further disturbances broke out.

~FE7~

Lyn and her retainers arrived at Caelin two days after their departure from Ostia, only to find that the entire realm was alight in chaos. Fiora and Heath had managed to avoid the worst of the turmoil as they passed through the domain … but just barely.

Waiting for them at the castle were the rest of their companions, thankfully safe and unharmed. Lyn and Fiora greeted their husbands while Heath inquired as to the well being of the others. Once the excitement had died down and Fiora had finished putting Jena down for a nap, Lyn asked for someone to enlighten her about the events that had occurred in her absence. Kent, taking the initiative as usual, led everyone to the main meeting hall and informed his lady of Caelin's situation.

The vocal minority, which had been mostly quiet since the wedding of their lady liege, had suddenly surged back to life with greater fervor than ever. The affiliates of that crowd were demanding that their marquess divorce her Sacaean husband and remarry a Lycian so that the purity of House Caelin's bloodline would be restored.

In the two years that had gone by since Lyn's ascension, even her most zealous opponents had come to accept that the Sacaean princess was the sole survivor of Caelin's ruling house – without her, the lineage of their former marquesses would be forever broken. However, they did not extend the same acknowledgement to her husband.

It was no secret that many of Caelin's nobles and some of its citizenry had disliked Rath from the very beginning. The nomads of Sacae were unaccustomed to life outside the plains, and it had been the wish of the most ardent detractors that Rath would be unable to handle living in Lycia. Much to their ire, Rath was not like most Sacaeans, having been away from the plains since he was less than four, and had less difficulty adjusting than expected. But over time, the few who were still opposed to their lady's engagement to a nomad had become less verbal about their displeasure.

Perhaps the failed assassination attempt on the marquess' husband had finally forced them to speak their mind. Joined by the nobility, the protestors began demanding an annulment to Lyn's marriage to Rath and called for their lady liege to wed a Lycian. Every day their complaints grew louder as they picked up more supporters along the way.

On the other side of the debate were those who wholly believed in Marquess Caelin's decisions and berated her adversaries for their prejudice and distrust. Lyn's allies were the people whom she had come to the assistance of; who had met her and Rath and the domain's highest ranked and most respected knights in person. They were willing to overlook Rath's background and argued that no one had the right to interfere in their marquess' personal life.

News of unrest in Caelin eventually reached the other territories. As if the disagreements amongst her own citizens weren't enough to deal with, Lyn found herself besieged with the opinionated words of the rest of the Lycian League. Marquess Araphen and Erik of Laus immediately took the side of the rebels, albeit for different reasons. Araphen proclaimed that Lyn was unfit to be a ruler and should at least wed someone who knew the political workings of Lycia if she were to remain as the marquess of Caelin. Erik, on the other hand, simply disliked Lyn and chose to oppose her on principle.

Tuscana, Worde, Kathelet, Tania, Santaruz, and Ryerde publicly declared neutrality, although each had privately sent Lyn a message affirming their stance. Tuscana's marquess inquired – using as much flattery and eloquence as possible – if it would not be for the best of Caelin if she were to remarry, offering his younger son as a prospective husband. Worde, Kathelet, Tania, and Ryerde simply stated that they would not involve themselves in Caelin's matters and requested that Lyn resolve conflict quickly before their cantons were affected. Santaruz reassured her that they believed she was in the right, but also asked that she understand their decision to stay unaffiliated.

Pherae and Ostia announced their support for Lyn and Rath. Although neither of the realms acted on their words out of respect for Lyn's wishes, both Eliwood and Hector told Lyn that if she needed help then they wouldn't hesitate to give it to her. Orun of Thria also publicly affirmed his stance in the debate. Taking Lyn's side, he called it shameful that such discrimination could be allowed to run rampant in Lycia.

Caelin was on the brink of civil war, and the tensions brewing within began to spark discontent in the other domains. With the rise of Caelin's troubles to the forefront of the Lycian League came the end to the peacetime that had been prevalent not much earlier.

~FE7~

"This situation is getting out of hand."

Lyn scowled at her reflected image in the polished oak table, then glanced up at her companions who were scattered around the study. Sain was loitering in front of the entrance, giving love advice to Heath; the wyvern rider ignored the green-clad knight, busying himself with books on tactics and Elibean history. Wallace was at his side, telling stories of his days in Lord Hausen's service to anyone who would listen.

Guy sat in an armchair in the middle of the room. He flipped through the pages of a collection of fairy tales, which he couldn't read; his look of fascination with the written language was impossible to miss. Kent and Fiora were on a loveseat in the back of the study, their daughter wedged between them.

Rath, who was standing beside Lyn and the only person close enough to hear the muttered words, turned to her. "What is?"

"Oh, well … it's just this mess that all of Caelin has got itself into." Lyn slapped her palms down on her desk, drawing the others' attention. "I won't allow it to go on any further! We have to put an end to this!"

"Lady Lyn!" Guy shouted, throwing his book aside and jumping to his feet. "Y-you … you can't be thinking about giving in to the rebels' demands!"

"Of course I'm not, Guy," Lyn said, slightly offended that he would believe her to be capable of such a thing. "But if we don't stop the fighting, then the people may turn on each other and begin spilling blood."

"Indeed." Fiora had a pensive expression on her face. "The entire realm is already on the verge of civil war as it is."

"Pah! Those no-good whining cowards!" Wallace scoffed. "They are barely fit to be called citizens of Caelin!"

"Good riddance, I say!" Sain agreed, pausing in the middle of his lecture to Heath about how to win a woman's heart. "My fair Lady Lyndis! The disrespect that they show you is simply appalling! It puts us all to shame."

"Surely there must be a way to compromise," Heath said, placing his now finished book in its rightful place. "Is there nothing that would persuade them into agreement?"

"Lady Lyndis, if I may suggest," Kent started. "If we announced to the people that the marriage between you and Lord Rath was to forge ties with his tribe, maybe it'll give them enough reason to cease their complaints."

"That … just might work," Fiora said.

"An alliance with a Sacaean tribe?" Heath asked. "Would the people really accept that?"

"I believe so," Kent said. "Caelin lacks the strength that the other Lycian territories have. Whatever advantages we can gain would be a benefit."

Wallace and Sain nodded and voiced their approval, but Lyn was not as pleased with the suggestion as they were. "Kent, how can you say that?" she demanded. "Our marriage had no political intent, and I refuse to lie and say that it did!"

"Forgive me, my liege," Kent apologized. "But I can think of no other solution that would be deemed plausible."

"Alas! That our lady's own subjects would be so opposed to her fondest wish to remain with her true love, how it wounds my spirit!" Sain lamented. "But the heart always finds a way!"

"Hmm … I believe that the citizenry would not object to such reasoning," Wallace said. "They may not be happy about it, but no one would dare to object to an action that would strengthen Caelin's political ties. Lady Lyndis … had Lord Hausen accepted your parents' love, the people would have come to acknowledge Lord Hassar as Lady Madelyn's rightful husband."

"Milady …" Fiora spoke up. "If we were to begin taking the steps to create an alliance with Lord Rath's tribe, we would not be lying at all."

Her words seemed to pacify Lyn, who leaned back in her chair thoughtfully. "Yes … yes, I suppose that is so." She pondered the suggestion for a few minutes, and then she finally said, "You're right … all of you. I am the marquess of Caelin. I have my duty to the realm, and to my parents and my grandfather. We'll send a messenger to the Kutolah and ask them if they would consider forming ties with Caelin."

"Excellent," Kent said, letting out a relieved sigh. "Guy." He turned to the young swordsman. "You are Kutolah too, are you not? Would you be our envoy to the tribe?"

"Well …" Guy paused, hesitant to continue. "The Kutolah … they aren't exactly known for being open to strangers, even other Sacaeans," he said. "I'm not sure if our chieftain would agree to an alliance. But … I will try."

"Is that really true?" Heath asked Rath.

The Sacaean flinched, a motion that did not go unnoticed. "My father and I … did not part on good terms," he said. "He was furious when I told him that I wasn't returning to the tribe and he essentially disowned me."

"_What?_ That's … that's terrible …" Sain frowned.

"You never mentioned any of this to us when you returned from Sacae …" Kent had a look of dismay on his face, wishing that he had said nothing at all.

Heath and Fiora stared at Rath in disbelief, as if they had never truly seen him before. Wallace was uncharacteristically silent as he shook his head. Lyn glared down at her clenched hands. Of course she had known about the disastrous meeting between Rath and his father. She had forced the details out of him upon his return to Caelin, and had been horrified to hear about what had happened. Only she and her grandfather had known the truth … until now.

"Hey! I'll still do my best to get the chief on our side!" Guy piped up. "We never know what'll happen unless we try!"

"I guess we have no other choice," Kent mumbled.

"This is all so confusing," Lyn admitted, placing her folded hands on her desk. "I never would have thought that all of this would happen. Rath … I'm sorry. I've caused you so much trouble."

"Lyn … you have never caused me any trouble," he disagreed.

"That's right! Lady Lyndis, none of this is your fault!" Sain shouted.

"I appreciate you all telling me this, really," Lyn said, "but it's because of me that we're in this mess. The people who stand opposed to me … they want Caelin to be under Lycian rule again. But …" Lyn placed her hands on her stomach and gave her companions a small smile. "Regardless of how we choose to counter their arguments, I think that their cause is a lost one."

"M-milady …" Fiora rose to her feet, accidentally jostling Jena as she did so. The toddler began to fuss and Kent immediately gathered her into his arms. "Are you saying …?"

A single nod was all that it took for the pressure in the study to dissipate. The noise that erupted from within could be heard from the other side of the castle.

~FE7~

A/N: So, I hope that this chapter is a little less unnecessarily dramatic than the first version. I've also tried to add a little more emotion and reactions to make it more realistic. Anyway, let's hope that an actual chapter will be forthcoming soon.

Also, I find it funny how I made Heath into a bookworm with a strong interest in military history and warfare. But then again, there is nothing that suggests that he cannot be, right? I guess that's my interpretation of Heath!


End file.
